5 Surging Kings, 5 Struggling Kings

[Bricklayer]

Five Kings A Surgin'
Cousins (last 4gms) 34.5min 21.5pts (.523 .000 .815) 11.3reb 2.0ast 1.2stl 0.8blk
T.Evans (last 5gms) 33.4min 21.4pts (.520 .455 .828) 4.4reb 4.8ast 1.4stl 1.0blk
Thompsn (last 5gms) 30.2min 12.8pts (.520 .000 .750) 9.6reb 1.6ast 0.8stl 0.2blk
F.Garcia (last 5gms) 21.8min 11.4pts (.524 .520 .000) 1.6reb 1.0ast 1.0stl 1.6blk
Salmons (last 5gms) 32.6min 9.4pts (.415 .429 .778) 2.8reb 6.0ast 0.6stl 0.2blk

Five Kings A Failin'
Thornton (last 5gms) 23.0min 8.8pts (.350 .409 1.000) 2.0reb 1.0ast 1.4stl 0.2blk
IThomas (last 5gms) 16.0min 8.0pts (.371 .214 .917) 2.4reb 2.0ast 0.2stl 0.0blk (last 10 near identical)
Fredette (last 5gms) 15.0min 7.6pts (.419 .300 .000) 1.6reb 1.6ast 0.0stl 0.2blk (last 10 shooting .400)
Robinson (last 5gms) 13.8min 2.2pts (.176 .000 .625) 3.6reb 1.0ast 0.6stl 0.4blk (last 10 shooting .350)
ChHayes (last 5gms) 16.0min 2.0pts (.417 .000 .000) 4.2reb 1.4ast 0.2stl 0.4blk

*Brooks and Johnson were both inbetween cases. Started the season poor, last 10 games numbers better. Last 5 numbers falling back.

I guess the key hope here, is that it is the RIGHT Kings a surgin'. At least most of them. And if Reke, Cuz and JT can somewhat sustain, that's looking like a real core. The bench...is a mess. At some point somebody is going to have to step up and help the guys running hot. Not terribly particular as to who.

 

[DesertFox]

The fact that this team has 10 players getting enough playing time to surge/fall, plus Brooks/JJ, is a concern in itself.

 

[ParniValjak]

Five Kings A Surgin'
Cousins (last 4gms) 34.5min 21.5pts (.523 .000 .815) 11.3reb 2.0ast 1.2stl 0.8blk
T.Evans (last 5gms) 33.4min 21.4pts (.520 .455 .828) 4.4reb 4.8ast 1.4stl 1.0blk
Thompsn (last 5gms) 30.2min 12.8pts (.520 .000 .750) 9.6reb 1.6ast 0.8stl 0.2blk
F.Garcia (last 5gms) 21.8min 11.4pts (.524 .520 .000) 1.6reb 1.0ast 1.0stl 1.6blk
Salmons (last 5gms) 32.6min 9.4pts (.415 .429 .778) 2.8reb 6.0ast 0.6stl 0.2blk

Now, I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to see that as a starting line up for a few games.

 

[Bricklayer]

Now, I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to see that as a starting line up for a few games.

The thought had crossed my mind with Salmons in full pass mode. Have a feeling once Cisco returns to the chaos of the bench his play will sink back into the muck. His effectiveness is purely as a roleplayer next to star guys willing to get him the ball.

 

[HereWeBoogie]

Now, I don't know about you, but I would LOVE to see that as a starting line up for a few games.

no thanks. i wouldnt expect much more out of Garcia.

and his help Defense that got a few steals and blocks against the Magic/Blazers ends up hurting more than helping when teams figure out that he does that on every play and leaves his man open

 

[KingMilz]

Give the mins Jimmer/JJohnson would get to Garcia when Tyreke comes back

 

[Glenn]

no thanks. i wouldnt expect much more out of Garcia.

and his help Defense that got a few steals and blocks against the Magic/Blazers ends up hurting more than helping when teams figure out that he does that on every play and leaves his man open

I don't want Garcia as a starter but I think his fading career has gotten a major boost. A few games ago he came in and hit shots and played well after not having seen the court in 9 games. Now he had a great game yesterday. At the same time JJ is looking bad. Garcia might steady Thornton and take some of the offensive pressure off MT. Defenses have to respect Garcia. He certainly isn't going to hurt our impotent bench crew.

 

[Dreadnought]

Brick, I was actually wondering what your personal opinion is of the future of the Kings (excluding arena). Is this team on the right track with a good future, or is it still going to be another decade of less-than-mediocre?

 

[jpsls]

Kinda OT, but isn't alarming that Evans gets injured quite frequently?

 

[Gilles]

I believe it's not a major injury, but it's obviously affecting Reke's play. In any other year he might have tried to play through it, but this is a contract year, and worsening of the injury would impact his financial future, plus he obviously wouldn't play with 100% effectiveness.

 

[VF21]

no thanks. i wouldnt expect much more out of Garcia.

and his help Defense that got a few steals and blocks against the Magic/Blazers ends up hurting more than helping when teams figure out that he does that on every play and leaves his man open

I myself have been very critical of Cisco for a long time BUT you need to keep in mind that he does have skills and he is the ultimate team player. Before his freak injury streak, which included hurting himself getting a stuck basketball out of the hoop and having his hand splattered by a piece of exercise equipment, Cisco didn't do too badly. The biggest fault with Cisco is his tendency to try and block three-point shooters, leading to a gift of three shots from the stripe.

It looks to me as though he's planning within himself now, and it might be interesting to see how he fares as a starter when Evans is back. It certainly couldn't hurt, could it?

 

[King Baller]

The thought had crossed my mind with Salmons in full pass mode. Have a feeling once Cisco returns to the chaos of the bench his play will sink back into the muck. His effectiveness is purely as a roleplayer next to star guys willing to get him the ball.

Roleplayer, that is what this team needs. Players who just do what they can do and do it well.

KB

 

[CruzDude]

Rotations and individuals are irrevelant. Winning combos are relevant. Trouble with the non-surging is they all are "small ball". The real need is for role players and other than Hayes and Cisco there are no other role players on the team. And role players will only come via trade unless a couple of bench players step up. That hasnt happenend.

The one who could provide big time help, if he can, is Outlaw. He can play the 3 and 4, plays above the rim and if he gets his shot back can add 10 pts/gm and a bunch of reb. But he is not being used that way, yet. Jimmer too may be a solution as MT and IT only have starter heads on their shoulders.

 

[ParniValjak]

The thought had crossed my mind with Salmons in full pass mode. Have a feeling once Cisco returns to the chaos of the bench his play will sink back into the muck. His effectiveness is purely as a roleplayer next to star guys willing to get him the ball.

That is part of my thinking as well. Evans initiates the offence anyway. Salmons initiates some of it and is a willing passer at the moment. With Reke and Salmons being able to create for themselves and others, Cisco primarily becomes the role player and the one that fit well. He has great 3pt range and is deadly when he has his feet set in the catch and shoot situation. He gets himself into trouble when he tries to be too creative and complicate things. He is a solid defender and willing passer.

With Salmons and Garcia shooting 3s at a good percentage, it just opens up a lot of things for Reke and Boogie and if the D sags, Cisco and Salmons can punish them with the long ball. We also get some size back on the court. The only position we would be undersized at would be SF.

Then you can have Brooks and MT (when he finds his mojo) coming off the bench as the gunners. Makes too much sense for coach to actually implement it.

 

[macadocious]

Five Kings A Surgin' At some point somebody is going to have to step up and help the guys running hot. Not terribly particular as to who.

until there is some consistency with who is playing off the bench, this wont happen

 

[Sac.1989]

We need evans to win tomorrow. Its as simple as locking down their backcourt they have nothing else

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

Cisco isn't bad, he just hasn't been hitting his shots for the last 2 seasons. He's hitting them this year, if that continues, he can be an effective player. He brings a lot of intangibles to the team.


I think JJ is going to be the odd man out here when Evans is back. I expect a rotation of:

Brooks / Thomas
Evans / Thornton
Salmons / Garcia
Thomson / Robinson
Cousins / Hayes

Which is still too many guys.

 

[Kingster]

Some of this is pure chemistry; who is playing with who. Put Evans into the second unit playing with Hayes, Johnson and Robinson, and, guess what, he's not going to play nearly as well offensively as he is now with the first unit. What is surprising is that Brooks in the first unit isn't playing all that well. If he can't play in that unit very well, then he's really not playing very well, period.

 

[Section 101]

Cisco isn't bad, he just hasn't been hitting his shots for the last 2 seasons. He's hitting them this year, if that continues, he can be an effective player. He brings a lot of intangibles to the team.


I think JJ is going to be the odd man out here when Evans is back. I expect a rotation of:

Brooks / Thomas
Evans / Thornton
Salmons / Garcia
Thomson / Robinson
Cousins / Hayes

Which is still too many guys.

Cisco is not reliable. He will shoot well for a few games then start forcing shots. Besides he's due for another stupid injury.

 

[Mass]

Some of this is pure chemistry; who is playing with who. Put Evans into the second unit playing with Hayes, Johnson and Robinson, and, guess what, he's not going to play nearly as well offensively as he is now with the first unit. What is surprising is that Brooks in the first unit isn't playing all that well. If he can't play in that unit very well, then he's really not playing very well, period.

Spot on. I believe you are 100% right here. Our "smart" coach better understand that he should never put 5 bench players in the game at the same time. Never. Just mix the starters with the subs, that's what good coaches do. This, and have a 8/9 players rotation please.

 

[pshn80]

Cisco is not reliable. He will shoot well for a few games then start forcing shots. Besides he's due for another stupid injury.

And Cousins won't play as well at age 36. Let's not weigh Garcia down with that burden.

 

[kupman]

Cisco is not reliable. He will shoot well for a few games then start forcing shots.

I think that you could substitute any name on the current roster for "Cisco" and the statement would still be true.