[Game] 75/82: Kings @ Pacers 31 MAR 2025, 4pm PT/7pm ET

[luckytkp]

I am wiling to give Zach some time, but DDR will probably need to go, nothing wrong with him, just not a good fit.

 

[iowamcnabb]

Zach LaVine most years is top notch in iso. The last two seasons he's been around the 37th percentile. Last year he was obviously hurt most of the year but him being that this year is rather odd. It's very unusual for him.

It seems like he got tired of being called a selfish player and decided to just roll with the offense. He absolutely still has insane burst and vertical so it’s not a decline athletically. I dunno. Hopefully a fresh start next year will help.

 

[iowamcnabb]

I am wiling to give Zach some time, but DDR will probably need to go, nothing wrong with him, just not a good fit.

as much as I love Deebo, he is one of the easiest paths to something different next year. Some team will need a 22 point scorer. I’ve got Miami as the most likely landing spot and they might have the defensive infrastructure to hide his weakness.

 

[Srzly]

It gets really old watching Sabonis do nothing on defense. Pacers targeted him all game.

Lost count of how many times Domas stood in the paint, guarding no one, while pointing to every other player making someone guard 2 on the perimeter and they get an open 3.

I know he gets his box score stats (woohoo) but that isn’t winning basketball. Great for individual accolades but when you’re giving up points like that at the other end it negates the offensive numbers.

Also, horrible coaching by DC to close with Monk instead of Ellis… Will these coaches ever learn?

 

[New Era]

It gets really old watching Sabonis do nothing on defense. Pacers targeted him all game.

Lost count of how many times Domas stood in the paint, guarding no one, while pointing to every other player making someone guard 2 on the perimeter and they get an open 3.

I know he gets his box score stats (woohoo) but that isn’t winning basketball. Great for individual accolades but when you’re giving up points like that at the other end it negates the offensive numbers.

Also, horrible coaching by DC to close with Monk instead of Ellis… Will these coaches ever learn?

Yep, DC has to go. He's clearly in way over his head here. He had the initial morale boost when he took over but then just completely failed when the tough love/decisions needed to be made. Also, his "simplifying" the offense in the form of horrible ISO ball which usually results in the ISO player throwing a grenade to a teammate with the shot clock getting close to zero obviously doesn't work.

 

[Rob-The-Great]

I hope the upper management told cristie not to change anything and to go with thr flow. I dont see how cristie doesn't see himself in Ellis. They are dam near carbon copies on how they play with Doug being a bit bigger.

I dont see how you dont play a guy like that when all indications of winning lead down that path. We need a Brooks type player man. Hate him if you want but this team got no attitude

 

[hrdboild]

I think he must have it in his mind that Derozan, Lavine, and Monk are his closers. When Christie let Monk know that he wouldn't be starting, he probably told him that he would still close.

It's still not working and anybody who is watching close in a neutral objective way, is not expecting it to work in any consistent way against good/decent teams

This is partly the nature of the NBA. The players get paid way more than the head coach in almost every case and they also tend to have more job security too. Which means if you have DeRozan, LaVine, and Monk on your team as a head coach you have to play them their 30 mpg. The starting/closing thing is almost inconsequential -- they're going to get their minutes and if they're not winning those minutes than you're better off getting them off the roster. That or you build your entire organization around a head coach and a system and you make sure your players know that they are secondary to that. Which only works if you're winning... so here we are back in Catch-22 land again.

 

[Vinny Basketballerino]

I feel nothing

I don't think the players do either. I'm in mental tank mode.

 

[Vinny Basketballerino]

You win this and you could go on a 3 game winning streak at the very least and maybe give yourself a chance. It’s over over. I’ll be rooting for the Suns to make the play in. We have now lost ten of thirteen.

I got there two days ago. Come on in, that water's fine.

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

This is partly the nature of the NBA. The players get paid way more than the head coach in almost every case and they also tend to have more job security too. Which means if you have DeRozan, LaVine, and Monk on your team as a head coach you have to play them their 30 mpg. The starting/closing thing is almost inconsequential -- they're going to get their minutes and if they're not winning those minutes than you're better off getting them off the roster. That or you build your entire organization around a head coach and a system and you make sure your players know that they are secondary to that. Which only works if you're winning... so here we are back in Catch-22 land again.

They are certainly in no man's land, between a rock and hard place. Thing is, it's this organization's own undoing, again. This isn't just bad luck

 

[gunks]

This is partly the nature of the NBA. The players get paid way more than the head coach in almost every case and they also tend to have more job security too. Which means if you have DeRozan, LaVine, and Monk on your team as a head coach you have to play them their 30 mpg. The starting/closing thing is almost inconsequential -- they're going to get their minutes and if they're not winning those minutes than you're better off getting them off the roster. That or you build your entire organization around a head coach and a system and you make sure your players know that they are secondary to that. Which only works if you're winning... so here we are back in Catch-22 land again.

Personally, I like the idea of doing just that and going after Taylor Jenkins to build around the young players on the roster who actually give a rats *** and play hard.

It's fairly obvious that this thing needs to get blown up, so let's build a tough culture with a core of Keegan/Keon/Carter. No way Deebo wants to be on a rebuilding team, so trade him for what you can. Domas looks like he might also want out, but if he's down to be a vet presence on a rebuilding team I'm cool with him sticking around.

Zach we're stuck with, but he's got big Tank Commander energy, so I'm not worried about it. He leads us to the lotto a few times and then becomes a large expiring contract (although he does control the timing of this a bit with his player option).

Now obviously the FO needs to actually HIT on those trips to the lotto, and convince a coach like Jenkins to come here, but if we land a player that looks like a star, we'd already have the young tough team ready built around them. Use the cap gained by Zach's exit to get a few solid 2-way vets (like we've seen Detroit, Houston, and OKC do recently with great success). I feel like the path to a relatively quick rebuild is there.

But what do I know? I'm just rambling to kill time while we wait for the "Vlade re-hired!" announcement.

 

["Him"mer Fredette]

Im truthfully over the Monk starting experiment. Next year you move him to the bench and if he doesn't want to, trade him. Send him to a contender in need of a spark plug bench guy. Love the guys personality, but just doesnt fit as a starter...

P.s. I got to the game in the second so not sure if he did start this particular game

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Embrace the tank

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Sabonis' defense has been really bad lately. There's just no way you can pair him with Lavine, Derozan, and Monk and think you're going anywhere

What’s embarrassing is anyone with rudimentary knowledge of the game knew that before any of the trades happen hell everyone knew DD with fox and Sabonis wasn’t gonna work

 

[serbiangoat]

That non call on a wild swipe by Nembhard on Sabonis just killed the Kings that was beyond ridiculous it could have stopped the game and momentum just crazy stuff.

 

[megapoxy]

That non call on a wild swipe by Nembhard on Sabonis just killed the Kings that was beyond ridiculous it could have stopped the game and momentum just crazy stuff.

The refs were bad both ways...Pacers shot 2 free throws the whole first half, Neismith was hit in the head when trying to make a layup that was missed by the refs and it was easy to be seen. Also Pacers missed a ton of open threes at the end to take the lead before they finally did while we couldn't hit anything in our offense.

 

[Folsomkingsfan]

What’s embarrassing is anyone with rudimentary knowledge of the game knew that before any of the trades happen hell everyone knew DD with fox and Sabonis wasn’t gonna work

It's like we slashed the analytics department in 2023 and Monte and Vivek decided winning basketball actually looked like the 2007 Washington Wizards

 

[ShastaKingsFan]

It's like we slashed the analytics department in 2023 and Monte and Vivek decided winning basketball actually looked like the 2007 Washington Wizards

One guy doesn't fit with the other. Monte understands analytics. Vivek is short sighted and always looking for a fast push button solution

 

[Remi]

Amazing, when some people make Sabonis as centerpiece of Kings problems Main thing is a right people in the team - look at the Warriors and they were even at worse position as Kings. But what happened when Stephen got Butler and team made huge turnaround.
Same you need here and of course you need a coach who can really make game preparations and adjustments.

 

[joemama]