Sure it's frustrating the Kings are not winning more games. Last year they started nearly 500 after 20 games or so then then went in the tank for the rest of the year with no real progress other than the 20-5-5 for Tyreke the ROY. That however, was a short lived benefit once the league figured out how to defend Tyreke and he failed for 15-18 games to make any compensation in his game. That has happened now or rather is happening. One piece of progress. Now for the rest of the starters to step up and move and create more.
Injuries are part of the game but when a team is as young and inexperienced as the Kings they are much less able to make up the difference, right away at least. But that is also changing slowly.
In the past 6 or 7 games the Kings were in position to win all but one of them but faltered in the last 3-10 minutes of each game. Some games were great first quarters then nothing, playing as if they were dead tired and had no extra push for the second half. Then they played a couple of really good first halves. Then 3 quarters and even a couple of 3-1/2 quarter good games faltering in the final minutes.
Young, inexperienced players of the caliber the Kings have take a longer time to learn those intricacies of the NBA game. Once they realize and can put into play how to coast in the first half and stay close then turn it on in the second they will begin to win some games, then more games.
JT has made some really good progress when he plays about 15 min a half. Same for Omri who has become a stop down defender a good percentage of the time. Jeter has finally been used as the spark plug and it has help the team progress more. Then there is Cousins. Finally the last game he gets the big minutes when he learns how not to make the silly and unnecessary fouls in the first half to get him more minutes. He is a rookie with only one year on a great college team so will need this year and next to step up to the top level of the bigs and centers in the league..... if he gets and keeps control of his fouling.
THen there is Donte, the rainbow man. Plays like any color of the rainbow in an stint in any game. Sometimes scores bunches, then nothing, sometimes does knock down defending then not much, sometimes controls his 3's then not, and on and on. Mr. Inconsistency. The talent is there and he may just be a slower learner than others.
Progress is a team thing. A hustle thing, energy and getting after the other team, upping the defensive intensity in the second half and 4th quarter. Not there yet but slowing coming.
Maybe it is a coaching thing not pushing or getting the increased intensity in the second half especially in the fourth quarter. That might be Westphals' personality. Now if it were Mario Elie or Coach Eyen, we might see more fire from all that youth especially late in games. That is their personalities. What do our kids need: guiding hand and patience, or a bit of fear and intensity management?
I'd go for the later with this group.
Injuries are part of the game but when a team is as young and inexperienced as the Kings they are much less able to make up the difference, right away at least. But that is also changing slowly.
In the past 6 or 7 games the Kings were in position to win all but one of them but faltered in the last 3-10 minutes of each game. Some games were great first quarters then nothing, playing as if they were dead tired and had no extra push for the second half. Then they played a couple of really good first halves. Then 3 quarters and even a couple of 3-1/2 quarter good games faltering in the final minutes.
Young, inexperienced players of the caliber the Kings have take a longer time to learn those intricacies of the NBA game. Once they realize and can put into play how to coast in the first half and stay close then turn it on in the second they will begin to win some games, then more games.
JT has made some really good progress when he plays about 15 min a half. Same for Omri who has become a stop down defender a good percentage of the time. Jeter has finally been used as the spark plug and it has help the team progress more. Then there is Cousins. Finally the last game he gets the big minutes when he learns how not to make the silly and unnecessary fouls in the first half to get him more minutes. He is a rookie with only one year on a great college team so will need this year and next to step up to the top level of the bigs and centers in the league..... if he gets and keeps control of his fouling.
THen there is Donte, the rainbow man. Plays like any color of the rainbow in an stint in any game. Sometimes scores bunches, then nothing, sometimes does knock down defending then not much, sometimes controls his 3's then not, and on and on. Mr. Inconsistency. The talent is there and he may just be a slower learner than others.
Progress is a team thing. A hustle thing, energy and getting after the other team, upping the defensive intensity in the second half and 4th quarter. Not there yet but slowing coming.
Maybe it is a coaching thing not pushing or getting the increased intensity in the second half especially in the fourth quarter. That might be Westphals' personality. Now if it were Mario Elie or Coach Eyen, we might see more fire from all that youth especially late in games. That is their personalities. What do our kids need: guiding hand and patience, or a bit of fear and intensity management?
I'd go for the later with this group.
