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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12667267p-13520437c.html
Adelman wants to see some fire from Kings
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 3:15 am PDT Sunday, April 3, 2005
The words "passion" and "urgency" continue to spill out of coach Rick Adelman's mouth as his Kings inch toward their seventh straight Western Conference playoff berth.
The coach says his team needs more of both qualities to maximize its potential. But at least the Kings, barring the most ill-timed losing streak in memory, will be in the playoffs despite injuries, adversity and monumental trades.
They're in far better shape than their opponent today, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who need luck surpassing lottery-winner status to return to the postseason.
The Kings (45-29) lead Houston (44-29) by a half-game for the fifth spot in the West. They also still can reach 50 victories by winning five of their final eight contests. Four of those games will be against teams with plus.-500 records: Minnesota, Seattle and two against Phoenix.
Sacramento, which is 18-19 on the road, also has a chance to finish above .500 away from Arco with games against Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and Phoenix.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (38-35), who beat Sacramento to reach the Western Conference finals last season, are fighting to stay in the postseason picture. They're chasing Denver (41-31) and Memphis (40-31), who hold the final West playoff spots.
Entering the home stretch, the Kings are focused on developing an identity and cohesiveness rather than statistical goals.
"We have these eight games left," power forward Kenny Thomas said, "and we've got to establish who we're going to be. We have such a deep team, and that's before we'll probably get back Brad (Miller) and Bobby (Jackson). So who knows what the rotation is going to be like for the playoffs.
"These games we have coming are going to be big for us. I don't care about the other teams and whether we can knock them out of the playoffs or what. We have to use these games for us so we can work on what we can become. Plus, these are the games where we'll determine our playoff status."
Sacramento's next two opponents have been troublesome. Minnesota has won three straight regular-season games at Arco, and Seattle, which visits Tuesday, is 3-0 against the Kings this season.
Moreover, the Sonics loom as a possible first-round playoff matchup, so more than just one victory could be at stake. Although Adelman knows regular-season matchups have little to do with playoff results, he certainly would like a win over Seattle just in case the teams meet.
Adelman freely admits he believes the Kings will be a factor in the postseason. However, he's also unsure of what to truly expect.
The coach said what concerns him is his team's passion, especially at the start of games.
"I'd like to get our road record over .500," Adelman said, "but it's impossible for us to grow as a team if our starters don't come into games with more fire. We've been able to do some things against some teams, but when we play better teams, we're not going to be able get away with that. "The word I guess I want to see us come into games with is urgency."
Adelman wants to see some fire from Kings
By Martin McNeal -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 3:15 am PDT Sunday, April 3, 2005
The words "passion" and "urgency" continue to spill out of coach Rick Adelman's mouth as his Kings inch toward their seventh straight Western Conference playoff berth.
The coach says his team needs more of both qualities to maximize its potential. But at least the Kings, barring the most ill-timed losing streak in memory, will be in the playoffs despite injuries, adversity and monumental trades.
They're in far better shape than their opponent today, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who need luck surpassing lottery-winner status to return to the postseason.
The Kings (45-29) lead Houston (44-29) by a half-game for the fifth spot in the West. They also still can reach 50 victories by winning five of their final eight contests. Four of those games will be against teams with plus.-500 records: Minnesota, Seattle and two against Phoenix.
Sacramento, which is 18-19 on the road, also has a chance to finish above .500 away from Arco with games against Portland, the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah and Phoenix.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves (38-35), who beat Sacramento to reach the Western Conference finals last season, are fighting to stay in the postseason picture. They're chasing Denver (41-31) and Memphis (40-31), who hold the final West playoff spots.
Entering the home stretch, the Kings are focused on developing an identity and cohesiveness rather than statistical goals.
"We have these eight games left," power forward Kenny Thomas said, "and we've got to establish who we're going to be. We have such a deep team, and that's before we'll probably get back Brad (Miller) and Bobby (Jackson). So who knows what the rotation is going to be like for the playoffs.
"These games we have coming are going to be big for us. I don't care about the other teams and whether we can knock them out of the playoffs or what. We have to use these games for us so we can work on what we can become. Plus, these are the games where we'll determine our playoff status."
Sacramento's next two opponents have been troublesome. Minnesota has won three straight regular-season games at Arco, and Seattle, which visits Tuesday, is 3-0 against the Kings this season.
Moreover, the Sonics loom as a possible first-round playoff matchup, so more than just one victory could be at stake. Although Adelman knows regular-season matchups have little to do with playoff results, he certainly would like a win over Seattle just in case the teams meet.
Adelman freely admits he believes the Kings will be a factor in the postseason. However, he's also unsure of what to truly expect.
The coach said what concerns him is his team's passion, especially at the start of games.
"I'd like to get our road record over .500," Adelman said, "but it's impossible for us to grow as a team if our starters don't come into games with more fire. We've been able to do some things against some teams, but when we play better teams, we're not going to be able get away with that. "The word I guess I want to see us come into games with is urgency."
