Keith Smart works with James Johnson on his jump shot

[Brooklyn King]

James Johnson on Keith Smart:
I have a lot of bad habits from the previous coaches that I had; they’re nothing like Coach Smart. I feel like he’s helping my game develop in a way that I haven’t had before. I’m just appreciative of the opportunity. He’s breaking old habits about moving too fast or trying to make a quick decision when other coaches said make a quick decision. So he knows the game, he played the game and he knows what I can do. He wants me to slow down, penetrate, shoot the open shot, drive and kick and it just feels good. So right now my confidence level is at an all time high and it can only grow.

That was just a little excerpt from the article posted on cowbell kingdom, check the rest out here..
http://www.cowbellkingdom.com/2012/10/29/keith-smart-sacramento-kings-james-johnson/

But like I said before I think Keith Smart is the best coach we have had since Rick Adelman. Of course results still pending but I love how he can connect with the players and motivate them which is just as important as the Xs and Os he can draw up in the playbook.

I'm interested to see if James can develop a reliable jumper as the season progress, if so that would make our lineup a whole lot dangerous and would open up the playbook a little more especially if we see some sort of improvement from Tyreke's jumper too.

One more days till the season starts!

 

[Chupacabra]

I just think smart is a players coach. Until the team shows consistent defensive discipline i wont think much of coach.

 

[macadocious]

I think it's very evident that Smart is one of the best lead assistant coaches out there. He unfortunately is probably in the bottom 33% of head coaches. I think it's because he can't get out of that assistant mind set.

 

[Spike]

Tough to see how I feel about this. On one hand, it's nice to reach out to a player and make him a better shooter. On the other, it's probably the last player in the starting five that I want given the green light to shoot with reckless abandon. Not that Smart necessarily said that, but Smart's always telling everyone to shoot, adding to the confusion regarding roles and pecking order.

 

[jcwkings]

Johnson being a competent set 3pt shooter would actually be a VERY important development for this team and for his career. Tyreke and Cousins would benefit from the spacing it would create.

 

[bajaden]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

 

[Kingsguy881]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

Totally.

 

[andjel]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

That would actually be a valid complaint

 

[Spike]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

Depends on how He handles the starting rotation, as well as His offensive and defensive game plans.

 

[bajaden]

Depends on how He handles the starting rotation, as well as His offensive and defensive game plans.

No arguement there, but the article wasn't about that. It was about Smart helping Johnson with his jumpshot, and to some extent, how he played the game. How good or bad a coach Smart ends up being, will be determined in the next few months. But as of now, we really don't have much to go on. I mean whatever happened to, considered innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Spike]

Smart, for me, hasn't earned that leeway (I'm fine that others are adopting a wait-and-see.) I get that he finally had "an offseason" that people were clamoring for, and that may reap dividends, but I still see a few red flags:

- Evans still doesn't know his role. How can that be?
- Smart saying offense is easier to fix during the season vs. defense, yet not using last season to establish the right kind of offense that fits Evans/Cousins since it is best managed during that time.
- Continued random lineups/substitution patterns in preseason instead of defining roles.

And other, much smaller stuff, that gives me pause.
Of course, as you said, the season will determine Smart's future, and I'll definitely be focusing on rotations/lineups/fit over wins & losses (mostly because it's the coach in me) for the short term, but I'm not going to lie and say I feel pretty confident long-term with Smart right now.

What I noticed in the article was an emphasis on not just working on a jumper with Johnson, but working on other aspects that involve a decent amount of ball-handling and decision making. If Johnson is making the decisions, then that means Evans/IT/Cousins aren't the ones making the decisions. It should be them. I'm perfectly happy with Johnson having a spot up three. Of course he should have it - that's what you want out of your complementary piece. But letting Johnson think that he can run an offense or be a decision maker gives me concern. It adds to the confusion.

Anyway, let's get the season started.

 

[est.1999]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

Umm, bad analogy. That would actually merit criticism.

 

[Prince_XY]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

I don't know about this. Actually, review your post and you'll find out you are more amazing than Spike. (And I am more amazing than you because I am talking about you now instead of the said article in the thread...lol)

First, all Smart did was comment on the article and nothing more. He did not make personal offense on other posters like you just did. Spike sticked to the topic. But you my friend found time to be offensive by criticizing Spike's behavior/intentions. You forgot that the subject of this thread is Smart and JJ, and not Spike.

Aren't we all amazing?.....

BTW, I think Spike made a very valid point. Coach Smart should start making defining player's roles as one of his priorities in teaching the players. Even we as fans get confused on what he wants players to do.

 

[SacTownKid]

I haven't seen the X's and O's yet. That's the most major part of being a GREAT or long term coach. Helping players develop is one aspect of coaching, but if you want to win and I mean really win, you can't if you don't have the right X's and O's coach for your personnel. I'm not even sure he's the best X's and O's coach since Adelman, best development coach by far however. Of course it's always easier when you have actual top 10 talent to work with and not a bunch of mid-first rounders or middle of the pack vets filling your roster. I mean give a coach Quincy Douby or Justin Williams to work with vs. Demarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans and I'm pretty sure there are some major disadvantages and advantages between the circumstances.

 

[Uk kings fan]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

tbf i whould complain he wasnt working with the rest of the team i get you point though....

 

[swisshh]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

I do wonder how Keith Smart can help a guy with his jumpshot and then allow Sandy to hit the east coast.

 

[SCKingsfan]

I'm absolutely amazed how people can take a very positive story, and find a way to make it a negative. I swear, if Jesus Christ himself came down and helped Johnson with his jumpshot, someone would criticize him for negelecting the rest of the world.

Well said, especially the "taking a very positive story, and finding a way to make it a negative" thing. You can have your criticism of Smart, but why have to manufacture a critique at every instance and in every story his name is mentioned? Geez. I mean, you wouldn't want to take Johnson's word at face value, that Smart is helping him unlearn old habits, and actually give the guy some credit.

 

[Telemachus]

Well said, especially the "taking a very positive story, and finding a way to make it a negative" thing. You can have your criticism of Smart, but why have to manufacture a critique at every instance and in every story his name is mentioned? Geez. I mean, you wouldn't want to take Johnson's word at face value, that Smart is helping him unlearn old habits, and actually give the guy some credit.

Come on, we would all much rather hear that Smart is encouraging our players to stick with their bad habits.

 

[bajaden]

I do wonder how Keith Smart can help a guy with his jumpshot and then allow Sandy to hit the east coast.

Don't confuse Smart with God...

 

[bajaden]

I don't know about this. Actually, review your post and you'll find out you are more amazing than Spike. (And I am more amazing than you because I am talking about you now instead of the said article in the thread...lol)

First, all Smart did was comment on the article and nothing more. He did not make personal offense on other posters like you just did. Spike sticked to the topic. But you my friend found time to be offensive by criticizing Spike's behavior/intentions. You forgot that the subject of this thread is Smart and JJ, and not Spike.

Aren't we all amazing?.....

BTW, I think Spike made a very valid point. Coach Smart should start making defining player's roles as one of his priorities in teaching the players. Even we as fans get confused on what he wants players to do.

First off, my post wasn't directed at Spike, who I happen to like and respect. Spike is the only one that immediately responded, and I thought we had a very civil conversation. My post was in general. It seems that no matter what subject thats brought up, someone, not meaning you, will find something negative to say about it. We had a new poster the other day, who indroduced himself as such, and as being a rabid Kings fan. And then he proceeded to call the team nothing by trash. My first thought was, well why are you a rabid fan if they're that bad?

I guess I have too logical a mind to understand the kind of thinking, unless of course it happens to be a troll. I'm not going to get into another discussion about how good or bad a coach Smart is. Frankly, I don't know! I do know that I wasn't very happy with a lot of his moves last season, but I was willing to cut him some slack coming in as a replacement 7 games into the season. I will however, cut him no slack this season if I see a repeat of last season. I'm just choosing to withhold judgement until I see the results.

 

[Smiley]

Setting a definate game plan and saying who is your starters going into the season is a very important job of the coach.
Also motivating a group of guys, in the Kings's case a group of young athletic guys, who many have overlapping skills and developing them into a cohesive unit both defensively and offensively to get a synergistic effect where the whole is better than the individual parts.
At this time the individual parts are better than the whole and guys have egos and there isn't much time to play all the guys. This team could use some savy veterans to help the young guys.
In Chicago we had Kurt Thomas who was old and out of shape, or looked that way but was very serviceable and did great when called on with Noah's and Boozer's injury.
Now Nazr Mohammed looks to do the same. It is good to have this good young core, but a coach needs to be somewhat rigid with who his starting 5 is until proven otherwise.

If that is Thomas,Evans,JJ,JT,Cousins then go with that but asking Evans to play SF and get his chances at random without defined plays for him is a big problem since Evans and Cousins I would say are the heart of the team and other players are, or should be, more complimentary around the nucleus.

For the Bulls you have Rose and Noah as the nucleus and then some over paid players Boozer included...Luol Deng is the glue and plays heavy minutes with the 1st unit and many times the 2nd unit as well.

I'm just saying with the Kings fortune of having a good group of young athletic and future NBA jems, you need a strong coach! Like Adelman for example!

 

[Spike]

First off, my post wasn't directed at Spike, who I happen to like and respect. Spike is the only one that immediately responded, and I thought we had a very civil conversation. My post was in general. It seems that no matter what subject thats brought up, someone, not meaning you, will find something negative to say about it. We had a new poster the other day, who indroduced himself as such, and as being a rabid Kings fan. And then he proceeded to call the team nothing by trash. My first thought was, well why are you a rabid fan if they're that bad?

Amen, compadre. We all have our disagreements and concerns, but at the heart of it, we really just want what's best for the team. I didn't even think it was some sort of attack, just an observation. Like I said, let's get this thing rolling!

 

[Kingster]

Smart, for me, hasn't earned that leeway (I'm fine that others are adopting a wait-and-see.) I get that he finally had "an offseason" that people were clamoring for, and that may reap dividends, but I still see a few red flags:

- Evans still doesn't know his role. How can that be?
- Smart saying offense is easier to fix during the season vs. defense, yet not using last season to establish the right kind of offense that fits Evans/Cousins since it is best managed during that time.
- Continued random lineups/substitution patterns in preseason instead of defining roles.

And other, much smaller stuff, that gives me pause.
Of course, as you said, the season will determine Smart's future, and I'll definitely be focusing on rotations/lineups/fit over wins & losses (mostly because it's the coach in me) for the short term, but I'm not going to lie and say I feel pretty confident long-term with Smart right now.

What I noticed in the article was an emphasis on not just working on a jumper with Johnson, but working on other aspects that involve a decent amount of ball-handling and decision making. If Johnson is making the decisions, then that means Evans/IT/Cousins aren't the ones making the decisions. It should be them. I'm perfectly happy with Johnson having a spot up three. Of course he should have it - that's what you want out of your complementary piece. But letting Johnson think that he can run an offense or be a decision maker gives me concern. It adds to the confusion.

Anyway, let's get the season started.

I heard Smart last night being interviewed on the radio. Some of his salient points:

There's Cousins, and then there's everybody else. The others are good basketball players, but they aren't Cousins; they will be played according to match-ups and how well they play at the time.

The last Lakers' game when Tyreke came out after a quarter, Smart was contemplating putting Tyreke back in. Tyreke told him he was really tired (that was when he had played a very good defensive quarter). Smart told him: "That's what it feels like when you play hard."

He's been working primarily on the defense. The half court offense is going to take a while. He thinks there is a buy-in on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[bajaden]

Amen, compadre. We all have our disagreements and concerns, but at the heart of it, we really just want what's best for the team. I didn't even think it was some sort of attack, just an observation. Like I said, let's get this thing rolling!

Ditto! You lead and I'll follow. Just don't go off any cliffs.....

 

[rainmaker]

Spike's worries carry some weight after seeing game 1. I don't think anyone has a problem with Smart working with players and giving them confidence. However, there's a difference between that and telling them to be aggressive on offense when that role isn't needed from them. We don't need defensive role players being as aggressive as JJ was on offense last night.

Was it just one game and JJ was trying to impress while back in Chi? Maybe. Or did Smart tell him to be aggressive on offense, which is definitely a possibility to me given it appeared Smart was calling iso's for JJ? Maybe.

And that's one of my biggest worries. Can Smart develop clear roles for his players for the betterment of the team? Seems he gave JJ confidence which is great, but doesn't have to mean JJ should look for his shot that much when the ball goes up. Smart seemed to have helped Jimmers confidence in pre season, but then Jimmer looked for his shot too much. IT/Brooks seem to have confidence from Smart, but they too are looking for their shots too much.

There's a difference between building confidence and having that confidence fit into the mold of the team. We don't need every player looking for their shot simply because Smart is pumping them full of confidence. It's a legit concern and one I agree with Spike on.

 

[Entity]

well you do want him shooting the open shots or else he will never get covered. he has to be a threat. 8 shots isn't to bad. Id like to see him with 5-6 shots a game.

 

[rainmaker]

well you do want him shooting the open shots or else he will never get covered. he has to be a threat. 8 shots isn't to bad. Id like to see him with 5-6 shots a game.

I agree with that. He should shoot open shots. He has to be a threat. The shot number isn't my concern, it's more how he went about those 8 shots, forcing the issue in iso's. But it's just one game. We'll see.

 

[JB_kings]

I won't blame Smart for working with JJ on his shot or encouraging him to shoot it in certain situations. But what is wrong is JJ trying to feed Cousins in the post when the second defender will not respect JJ's perimeter ability and stay near Cousins. JJ should be on the weak side corner where he will get open looks and a shorter distance look at a three. This is the way that Pop used Bruce Bowen most of the time. This is where the dedication to defense has to trump the offense first mindset. JJ should be the starting SF purely based on the ability to disrupt the opponents offense. I'm looking forward to seeing how they manage this in the upcoming games.

 

[bajaden]

Spike's worries carry some weight after seeing game 1. I don't think anyone has a problem with Smart working with players and giving them confidence. However, there's a difference between that and telling them to be aggressive on offense when that role isn't needed from them. We don't need defensive role players being as aggressive as JJ was on offense last night.

Was it just one game and JJ was trying to impress while back in Chi? Maybe. Or did Smart tell him to be aggressive on offense, which is definitely a possibility to me given it appeared Smart was calling iso's for JJ? Maybe.

And that's one of my biggest worries. Can Smart develop clear roles for his players for the betterment of the team? Seems he gave JJ confidence which is great, but doesn't have to mean JJ should look for his shot that much when the ball goes up. Smart seemed to have helped Jimmers confidence in pre season, but then Jimmer looked for his shot too much. IT/Brooks seem to have confidence from Smart, but they too are looking for their shots too much.

There's a difference between building confidence and having that confidence fit into the mold of the team. We don't need every player looking for their shot simply because Smart is pumping them full of confidence. It's a legit concern and one I agree with Spike on.

In fairness to Johnson, who I gave mixed reviews to, three of his shots were at the basket. One was blocked and he just missed the other two. Two of his outside shots were wide open. As a matter of fact he passed up a few open shots as well. The rest of his shots were forced and he just made poor decisions. On the other side of the floor however he was very good. He only took 8 shots altogether, so it wasn't like he dominated the ball. He passed it more than he shot it, however, some of those passes wern't very good either. As for Jimmer looking for his shot. Well, if he's on the floor and he's not looking for his shot, then why is he on the floor? I mean thats the one thing we know he can be very good at, and is probably why he's on the floor.

I know everyone wants Cuz, Tyreke, and Thornton taking all the shots, but thats not how it eventually works out. On average, an NBA team takes around 85 shots a game. If you generously give Cuz, 18 shots a game (last year he only averaged 14 a game), give Thornton 15 a game and Tyreke 15 a game (which is close to what they averaged last season) that adds up to 48 shots spoken for. That also leaves around 37 shots up for grabs. Someone is going to shoot them. My perference is that, that someone is a good shooter. Which of course, at least for now, Johnson isn't.

Hopefully the bulk of those shots are spread between IT, Brooks and JT, with JJ and T. Robb getting whats left over until they can prove they deserve more. I know some think that Thornton should get more than 15, but when you look around the league at other 6th men, Jason Terry only averages 13 shots a game. Harden only 8.6. Only a select few average 20 plus, like Kobe, Durant, LeBron. Wade only averages 18.3 shots a game. Duncan 16.1. So I really doubt that Cuz ends up averaging 18 shots a game. 15 to 16 is probably more realistic.

Anyway, my point is, that with 37 to 40 shots up for grabs on a nightly basis, it doesn't hurt to have more good shooters. Especially if their good decision makers as well.

 

[bajaden]

I won't blame Smart for working with JJ on his shot or encouraging him to shoot it in certain situations. But what is wrong is JJ trying to feed Cousins in the post when the second defender will not respect JJ's perimeter ability and stay near Cousins. JJ should be on the weak side corner where he will get open looks and a shorter distance look at a three. This is the way that Pop used Bruce Bowen most of the time. This is where the dedication to defense has to trump the offense first mindset. JJ should be the starting SF purely based on the ability to disrupt the opponents offense. I'm looking forward to seeing how they manage this in the upcoming games.

JJ did try and make some passes into the post. And he did make a nice one that I remember. I also remember him make at least two passes into the post that ended up in the wrong hands. Good idea, but bad execution.. As Rainmaker said, its only one game.