22 Back to Back Games!!!

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#37
Why is commenting about what seems to be a rather large number of back-to-back games all of a sudden considered whining?

It's a lot of back-to-backs. It's something to talk about. It's one of the incongruities of the newly released schedule that people have noticed.

It's not this big a deal.

:)
 
#41
This is a kind of a big deal. It's not going to knock us out of the playoffs if we have what it takes to make them, it will likely knock us down a seed or two.

If we had 14 back-to-backs, like PHX, instead of 22, our record would probably be 2-3 games better. IIRC the win probability on the second night of a back-to-back is ~ 33%. Otherwise our win probability is likely to be in the high 50's.

Maybe our youth movement and EMs larger rotations will minimize the problem, OTOH, poor Brad.
 
#43
Excuses already???

Come on, play the schedule that is put in front of you and stop whining. Out of all of the sports, the NBA is BY FAR the most equal schedule. it is unfortunate that we have more back to backs than the Lakers and Suns, and whoever else, but the fact of the matter is that good teams play through.

I just hate this obsession with having to come up with reasons why we have been screwed and the season is lost. How far we go this season will be determined by

1) Does Artest stay sane
2) Do we play any interior defense whatsoever
3) Does Miller bounce back
4) Does Bibby return to All Star level play
5) Does Kevin Martin flourish as a starter
6) Do we have more of a bench than last year

ETC........

It doesn't matter whether we have 21 or 19 or 17 back to backs. What matters is how good of a team we have...
Possibly the best post ever.

I agree it's always excuse after excuse here in Kings land. Okay so we have 3 more then DET, 4 more then CLEV....

There is no conspiracy, if anything the NBA, if they were smart... would/should be making it easier for Lebron and CO to win. Pump up your superstars right?

BTW we have none on our team.

Doesn't matter 22 back to backs or 10 b2b we are still only going to win 35-40 games.
 
#44
Every year the schedule comes out in the dead part of summer and it's 82 games long, you can't really mentally digest it in one sitting, the rosters aren't even settled yet and the season is months away so the only thing people can come up with is that the schedule is unfairly difficult.
 
#46
I disagree because of development, and the regular oppurtunities guys will get now. Along with the 10th-12th guys getting in sometimes, but not always. I think Douby will be a near-consistent guy off the bench, same for Price. I also think Salmons versatility and athleticism will be good off the bench for us, as now he'll have a regular role, a consistent oppurtunity and minute amount. Who knows if he's working on his game, but I'd say he does/is with how he played in the summer league the last few seasons - showing the dedication.

Along with the off-season not being over, as there are 2 months left. Nobody can say moves are done being made because of that. Not at least until October. Predict? Sure.

Just looking at it on paper right now isn't what I was doing. Nor do I think it should be.
 
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Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#47
I disagree because of development, and the regular oppurtunities guys will get now. Along with the 10th-12th guys getting in sometimes, but not always. I think Douby will be a near-consistent guy off the bench, same for Price. Along with the off-season not being over, as there are 2 months left. Nobody can say moves are done being made because of that. Not at least until mid-October at the most. Predict? Sure.

Just looking at it on paper right now isn't what I was doing. Nor do I think it should be.
There are no minutes for those guys to be near consistent performers off the bench. Only way that happens is if we have major injuries or the season falls apart (or I guess theoretically if we win 70 by blkowing everybody out. Ron and Bibby will be over 35 min/gm. And even if Kevin is only a 24min platoon player that still leaves maybe 48min total for Garcia and Salmons. Likely less if Kevin is a 30+min starter. Figure one or the other other of Douby/Price might be able to average 8-10 min in semi-regualr action, but barring injuries, I don't see how there's room for both, or room for long stints.
 
#48
Okay.

Guys are still gonna play just about every game with a certain amount of minutes in a range, and should be able to contribute in some way most nights. Pressuing the ball at least sometimes during every game, adds into that.
 
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#50
I hate how from March 25th to the 30th we have a week off almost that late in the season is horrible it gets us out of our routine. We go from a game on a sunday to a game on a friday
Yeah, especially when I come for the first time to the US, hoping for going to a Kings game, from March 24th to April the 3rd... :(
 
#52
i don't think there's anything wrong with griping about the ridiculous number of back to backs (more than 50% of games are in sets!) when our roster isn't exactly the tough, elite contender it once was.

it's easier to have the "just play the game" mentality when you've actually got something.
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#54
i don't think there's anything wrong with griping about the ridiculous number of back to backs (more than 50% of games are in sets!) when our roster isn't exactly the tough, elite contender it once was.

it's easier to have the "just play the game" mentality when you've actually got something.
This is exactly the reason I don't care. I don't think this team is going to make a deep run in the playoffs so what difference will a few wins make? Maybe we'll get a better draft pick because we lost an extra game or two.

This year is a transition year with a new coach and a lot of young guys, a little adversity will be a good thing for next year when I think we may be poised to make a legitimate run (assuming we are able to turn those expiring contracts into ball players that fill our holes).
 

pdxKingsFan

So Ordinary That It's Truly Quite Extraordinary
Staff member
#56
But how many extra losses will there be? The average amount of back to backs is around 15 or 16? Let's say we lose 60 percent of them. So we have 3 or 4 extra losses as a result?

But what if we win a few extras because of extended rest that were afforded by the back to backs? How many teams do we play on the second night of a back to back of their own? Its easy to look at one thing without looking at the big picture.

And who knows if all these back to back games kills us and we can actually prove it then perhaps the Maloofs have a legitimate gripe and we will have less next season when I expect us to be a better team anyway.
 
#57
point taken; can't really say anything definitively since you can't isolate any single variable. these kings are different; maybe for some oddball reason they will completely dominate back to backs (in which case...yeehaw!!!). but i figure like most teams, they will do at best average in these sets.

3 or 4 losses isn't huge in the grand scheme of things, but last season it was the difference between 8th seed and 9th place. every loss counts, even if i'm not expecting much.
 
#58
i don't know how they figure out who has all the back-to-backs but every year it's unfair. It should be more even but the games have to be played regardless. We're better off then Philly they have 23 and their last 6 games in April are back-to-backs.