[Game] Kings v. Thunder - 4/20/12

#91
And look how many teams Webber played on in the first years of his career. We don't need a good player taking his grievances to the media. It never ends well for the team.
And you think Keith Smart continuing his play Tyreke at SF, freeze him out while he's on the court and by taking him off when he's hot will end well for us?
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
#92
Cousins needs to stop acting like a baby. It's embarassing. Just have some patience and let the game come to you.

IT and Tyreke are playing some good ball. Tyreke finally making some outside shots. But no way do they win with Cousins playing like this. I agree with Oscar - IT needs to start taking a lot more shots and quit deferring.
 

bajaden

Hall of Famer
#93
Happens at every NBA game. Ever sat courtside when KG is playing?
Ditto! Personally I don't blame Cuz. They call a touch foul on Durant at one end and then don't call a thing when Cuz gets hammered. Its easy for us to sit at home and say it shouldn't bother him, its quite another to be him, getting banged around, and not getting calls. Just about every player in the NBA has one player they just hate to face. Needless to say, Ibaka is Cuz's guy. He'd probably trade half the team to get Ibaka on his team so he wouldn't have to play against him.
 
#94
That's because of "Smart's" predilection for playing Evans, like, seventeen minutes straight, and then not playing him the rest of the half.

EDIT - Or else, puts him back in with less than a minute to go in the half, leading to the kind of "**** it" jump shots we saw to end the half.
He's still leading the guards in minutes, though.

I understand WHAT Smart is doing. Giving Evans like 5 or so minutes without Thomas on the court so he can control the ball. I can't say I would do that, because I wouldn't, but at least he is acknowledging the problem. He needs to find some solution that puts the ball in Evans hands more, because when he doesn't have the ball and isn't involved he doesn't give us anything.

The larger problem that a lot of people keep glossing over is that Evans isn't playing particularly great basketball. I actually like how he's played tonight, but in general he hasn't been as assertive as I want him to be. My only gripe tonight is that I'd like him to have more than 4 shots, without Thornton, he needs to do more for us.
 
#95
Cousins needs to stop acting like a baby. It's embarassing. Just have some patience and let the game come to you.

IT and Tyreke are playing some good ball. Tyreke finally making some outside shots. But no way do they win with Cousins playing like this. I agree with Oscar - IT needs to start taking a lot more shots and quit deferring.
Lol I do not see this "deferring" you speak of.
 
#96
Lets just say it was hard to convince her, my niece' great grandmother and aunt to root for him after all the gesturing, pouting and cussing right in their direction.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#97
And you think Keith Smart continuing his play Tyreke at SF, freeze him out while he's on the court and by taking him off when he's hot will end well for us?
Nope. But that doesn't mean Tyreke speaking out would bring about any kind of change. One of the things that is continually written about Evans - who apparently has a jumper now ;) - is that he's a class act who hasn't complained about his shift in positions or minutes or anything else, but has continued to do whatever is asked of him.
 
#98
He's still leading the guards in minutes, though.

I understand WHAT Smart is doing. Giving Evans like 5 or so minutes without Thomas on the court so he can control the ball. I can't say I would do that, because I wouldn't, but at least he is acknowledging the problem. He needs to find some solution that puts the ball in Evans hands more, because when he doesn't have the ball and isn't involved he doesn't give us anything.

The larger problem that a lot of people keep glossing over is that Evans isn't playing particularly great basketball. I actually like how he's played tonight, but in general he hasn't been as assertive as I want him to be. My only gripe tonight is that I'd like him to have more than 4 shots, without Thornton, he needs to do more for us.
Oh my goodness. He's taken so few shots because he's not even being given the ball. And at other times he's moved the ball for better shots that guys miss. If he takes them he gets criticized, if he odesn't you say he needs to step up more.
 

rainmaker

Hall of Famer
#99
MY point was that this conversation would probably be better in its own thread, since not everyone bothers to read the game thread unless they're here during the game. The other part was a comment based on experience with various reporters over the years. While the meeting between Evans peeps and the front office wasn't here, it's also not unusual. The "people close to" phrase is often used by reporters to put something out that they may or may not be able to source. Sorry, but I'm not easily swayed by generic source comments, especially when they echo popular commentary.
Last thread I opened you closed. So I'm not going to just start another thread for it.

All I reported was what Jones reported, which was that Reke's reps and the FO met today discussing his future and playing him at SF. That had not happened this year, nor had it been reported as happening this year. Has nothing to do with popular commentary. And a top player being played out of position and frozen out of the offense while being benched for stretches, and causing his reps to come and talk to the FO about it is not usual, imo.
 

Kingster

Hall of Famer
He's still leading the guards in minutes, though.

I understand WHAT Smart is doing. Giving Evans like 5 or so minutes without Thomas on the court so he can control the ball. I can't say I would do that, because I wouldn't, but at least he is acknowledging the problem. He needs to find some solution that puts the ball in Evans hands more, because when he doesn't have the ball and isn't involved he doesn't give us anything.

The larger problem that a lot of people keep glossing over is that Evans isn't playing particularly great basketball. I actually like how he's played tonight, but in general he hasn't been as assertive as I want him to be. My only gripe tonight is that I'd like him to have more than 4 shots, without Thornton, he needs to do more for us.
I thought Tyreke played well with IT on the floor, not as well with him not on the floor.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Last thread I opened you closed. So I'm not going to just start another thread for it.

All I reported was what Jones reported, which was that Reke's reps and the FO met today discussing his future and playing him at SF. That had not happened this year, nor had it been reported as happening this year. Has nothing to do with popular commentary. And a top player being played out of position and frozen out of the offense while being benched for stretches, and causing his reps to come and talk to the FO about it is not usual, imo.
I closed that thread because it was quickly turning into an ugly attack on Adrienne Maloof. I don't like her but making attacks on people for their looks isn't something we generally allow.

If you want to keep the discussion in this thread, fine. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't get the same kind of action that it would get if it were out where non-game thread folks could see it. Doesn't really matter to me. I was making a suggestion because I thought people might want to discuss it.
 
Oh my goodness. He's taken so few shots because he's not even being given the ball. And at other times he's moved the ball for better shots that guys miss. If he takes them he gets criticized, if he odesn't you say he needs to step up more.
Yes, with Thornton out, I want Tyreke to take more chances/shoot the ball more on offense. When your taking 19 or so shots out of the game due to injury, I'd rather have Evans take those shots over any other guard.
 
Ditto! Personally I don't blame Cuz. They call a touch foul on Durant at one end and then don't call a thing when Cuz gets hammered. Its easy for us to sit at home and say it shouldn't bother him, its quite another to be him, getting banged around, and not getting calls. Just about every player in the NBA has one player they just hate to face. Needless to say, Ibaka is Cuz's guy. He'd probably trade half the team to get Ibaka on his team so he wouldn't have to play against him.
Also happens in baseball, soccer,hockey and football, yet fans don't hear it as they're so far from the field of play. Be happy you're so close to the action you can hear the bad language! Most can't afford it. But foul language and pro sports go hand in hand. Distance from the action covers that for many.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
He's still leading the guards in minutes, though.
I am aware that he still leads the guards in minutes. If he averages 35+ minutes, he's going to lead the guards in minutes. He's supposed to lead the guards in minutes. The point is that when he gets the minutes is much more important than how many minutes. If Evans is playing the full first quarter, and then less than half the second quarter, rinse and repeat in the second half, then it means ****-all that he's leading the guards in minutes. As significant as saying he leads guards in half-court shots.
 

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
Tyreke's jumper is looking good. And Cuz looks focused and determined. If we can keep him that way, and not get him pushed over the edge, he could easily take over the game. Ibaka be damned.
 
I am aware that he still leads the guards in minutes. If he averages 35+ minutes, he's going to lead the guards in minutes. He's supposed to lead the guards in minutes. The point is that when he gets the minutes is much more important than how many minutes. If Evans is playing the full first quarter, and then less than half the second quarter, rinse and repeat in the second half, then it means ****-all that he's leading the guards in minutes. As significant as saying he leads guards in half-court shots.
Why he isn't subbed out with 1-2 mins left in the 1st/3rd, and then subbed back in with 6-7 mins left in the 2nd/4th I don't think anyone has an answer for. That's a pretty standard type of rotation by just about every single head coach who's ever coaches in this league. Can shorten it or lengthen it a bit, but the idea is still the same. Get your best players back with at least 5 mins left in each half.
 
I am aware that he still leads the guards in minutes. If he averages 35+ minutes, he's going to lead the guards in minutes. He's supposed to lead the guards in minutes. The point is that when he gets the minutes is much more important than how many minutes. If Evans is playing the full first quarter, and then less than half the second quarter, rinse and repeat in the second half, then it means ****-all that he's leading the guards in minutes. As significant as saying he leads guards in half-court shots.
I understand all of that, and agree with it for the most part.

I'm just not going to give Evans a complete pass for his failures because he isn't getting the perfect match of Tyreke Evans minutes. And for the record I think he has been solid tonight.
 

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Why he isn't subbed out with 1-2 mins left in the 1st/3rd, and then subbed back in with 6-7 mins left in the 2nd/4th I don't think anyone has an answer for. That's a pretty standard type of rotation by just about every single head coach who's ever coaches in this league. Can shorten it or lengthen it a bit, but the idea is still the same. Get your best players back with at least 5 mins left in each half.
That'd be great, if that were what was happening. What seems to actually be happening is that Smart plays Evans to exhaustion, and doesn't bring him back until there's less than two minutes left in the halves, if at all.
 
That'd be great, if that were what was happening. What seems to actually be happening is that Smart plays Evans to exhaustion, and doesn't bring him back until there's less than two minutes left in the halves, if at all.
And it makes little sense. If you have a player you consider good enough to ride to exhaustion, then why wouldn't you want that player in the last five mins of a game/half? Very similar to his handling of Curry last year. Almost identical situation, yet there it was Acie Law getting the extended mins while Steph was benched.