and with the #1 pick in the 2009 NBA draft the Kings select...

nbrans · Jan 23, 2009

Gary said:

But you know, the first time I saw Holiday and DeRozan play they both looked terrible. Neither one looked like they justified any sort of hype. As the season has gone on, DeRozan has steadily improved and is looking more and more like the player he was sold to be. Holiday is basically at square one.

Yeah, people say Holiday is out of position, but even if he IS playing out of position he could still show flashes, penetrate, score, all those things he was sold to do. It's not like he never gets the ball.

bajaden · Jan 23, 2009

=LarryLegend= said:

.........huh?......Kings need a point guard. flat out. Beno is not going to cut it. Eric Maynor is looking interesting also.
[/quote]

LarryLegend responding to Fakeinjury = Illogical

Kingster · Jan 23, 2009

nbrans said:

UCLA/WSU-

Jrue Holiday - Good D against WSU's slowpokes. Nice pull up 3 on a break and a crazy turnaround jump hook from 10 feet. Drove wildly into the lane for an offensive foul, another time drove in for what should have been an offensive foul, but got bailed out. Had a good steal and fast break for a drunk. Looked a little more lively out there and had some really good passes, but, as usual, the results driving and creating offense just weren't really there. More or less invisible in the second half.

Collison - Honestly he looked kind of asleep tonight. Never really pushed things or tried too hard to get his own shot. Just not able to impose himself on the game and not looking very quick. Then he took over in crunch time, had a sweet dribble drive to the hoop, a tough fadeaway, also had a sick pull up that broke the ankles of the defender, but couldn't hit from 3. Overall really not a great game but hit the big shots when it mattered.

Dragovic - unconscious (at least in the first half).

I have my doubts about Holiday's ceiling. I don't think it's that high because his quickness, at least offensively, is not high by NBA standards.

Warhawk · Jan 23, 2009

Have you ever seen them in the same place?

I wonder at times if they are the same person.....

kennadog · Jan 23, 2009

nbrans said:

UCLA/WSU-

Jrue Holiday - Good D against WSU's slowpokes. Nice pull up 3 on a break and a crazy turnaround jump hook from 10 feet. Drove wildly into the lane for an offensive foul, another time drove in for what should have been an offensive foul, but got bailed out. Had a good steal and fast break for a drunk. Looked a little more lively out there and had some really good passes, but, as usual, the results driving and creating offense just weren't really there. More or less invisible in the second half.

I know it was a typo, but it did make me chuckle trying to imagine that.

nbrans · Jan 23, 2009

If you want to watch Rubio, I recently learned that you can watch the USA/Spain gold medal game (completely legally) at the NBC website: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/player.html?assetid=0815_hd_bkm_en088_1&forcereload=true

I just re-watched the whole thing, and.....

I’m sorry. Rubio is not quick. He’s not quicker than Jason Kidd right now. Just watch him bring the ball up on the first possession under pressure. He can do it, but he can’t get around Kidd.

Don’t get me wrong: He had some really sweet plays and he’s an awesome ballhandler — he had a very good no look to Pau on a break, a nice behind the back move into the lane and stutter-step for a layup, and in the 4th Quarter he had a nice skip pass to Fernandez for a 3 on a break. He’s good at changing speeds and directions and he does a good job of fooling guys. But once these players get used to his patented behind-the-back and change direction he’s not going to fool them anymore — it’s a crafty move, not a quick one.

Quickness? Didn’t really see it. His defense on Kidd was absolutely not at all good in the early going, and then Spain played zone every single time USA subbed in Chris Paul (now that’s some respect), so Rubio never guarded him. He gets caught up easily in screens (he’ll probably get better on that as he gains strength), got burned by Chris Paul for an easy and-one on a break, and never really made much happen. Fernandez looked quicker bringing the ball up, and he’s a 6’6" shooting guard, and Navarro got into the lane much more often for some floaters. A lot of Rubio’s passes were broken up, even if they didn’t all result in turnovers. He also whines a lot on fouls and called for a tech, but hey, he's 17.

Honestly, I’m not a hater. I came away from re-watching this impressed, moreso than I remembered (except for his fugly jumper). It’s really, really hard not to like this guy.

Absolutely a baller and very impressive for 17. But I didn’t come away feeling disproved on the quickness question. He could still be a player. But I’d still be worried about the Kings drafting him.

bajaden · Jan 23, 2009

Warhawk said:

Hmmm........ Incognito ehh. The question is, which one is pretending to be the other?

FakeInjury · Jan 23, 2009

Drafting a PG is a horrid idea because its unlikely that we find the Chris Paul of the bunch, and secondly the last 10 champions have a signature big man under contract, not a rookie point. Its just a fact. Blair, Aminu, Griffin and some choice swing men are the only players worth anything, it would serve the kings well to get both Aminu and Griffin and Blair if it were up to my discretion.

SacKings7 · Jan 23, 2009

FakeInjury said:

1. How do you know that?

2. Unless you're expecting to win the championship next year

eek

, rookies aren't rookies after their first season is over

=LarryLegend= · Jan 23, 2009

sometimes i dislike kingsfans.com

Arby's Roast Beef · Jan 23, 2009

Nikola Dragovic was once considered a lottery pick--but that was before he attended UCLA. Now...eh.

KingGiant49erFan · Jan 24, 2009

is anyone watching OU/Baylor right now? I really don't understand what people dont like about griffin's game. He is big (standing next to Quincy Acy, who is listed at 6'7", he looked to be 2-3 inches taller), he has elite athleticism, he boxes out to get his rebounds (as opposed to a Michael Beasley who relied only on his elite athleticism to get boards in college), he runs the floor incredibly well for a big man, has a pretty good repertoire of post moves, he even has a nice little outside bank shot a la Tim Duncan and some pretty good ball handling abilities. He may not be a great defender at this point, but he has been attempting to block shots more often as of late, and with his body/athleticism/determined attitude I see no reason why he couldn't become a top defender as well at the next level.

kingsnation · Jan 24, 2009

What channel is it on? I'm watching Tenn/Memphis on CBS..

KingGiant49erFan · Jan 24, 2009

kingsnation said:

its on espnu..

kingsnation · Jan 24, 2009

Thanks much!

kingsnation · Jan 24, 2009

Griffin hurt

bajaden · Jan 24, 2009

Another nice game for Blake. 20/17. He just tied Duncan for having 9 games of 20/15. There's no doubt he will be the sole holder of the record by seasons end.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Griffin is the real deal.

Bballkingsrock · Jan 24, 2009

I REALLY REALLY hope Rubio is in this draft because he is EXACTLY what the Kings need.
This year, the only worthy players to draft that will be big producers are Blake Griffen and Ricky Rubio. Those are almost for sure guys who will light it up in the future.

The rest of the draft seem like risky players to get such as Hill (too small), Harden (Kings dont SG), Thabeet (could be a bust and slow), Jenniings (not great IQ but could be great like a Arenas), Curry (a betteer version of Douby probably), Monroe ( questionmark no him), and Demar ( havent seen enough of him).

nbrans · Jan 24, 2009

Bballkingsrock said:

Neither one is a sure thing. I've said it once I've said it again: Griffin might not be big enough, Rubio is just not that athletic. There isn't a sure thing in this draft.

HighFlyingMonkey · Jan 24, 2009

Watching Hasheem Thabeet right now, it's clear why he's considered a game-changer on defense. The guy is absolutely massive and has the wingspan of a condor. Just ridiculous length, everything around the basket is changed just by having him there. He has very quick feet, staying with Harangody on numerous posessions and forcing him to take tough fadeaways and sky hooks (which he can make).

I worry though about his intensity. It seems like at times he coasts through numerous posessions, not showing a hunger to get after rebounds, sometimes losing sight of off-the-ball movement like cutters and shooters. He's still a work in progress in terms of basketball IQ goes on both ends of the court.

Offensively, unfortunately, he's going to be a liability for the time being. He doesn't finish well around the rim at all, going for layups when he really should be dunking over Notre Dame's 6'8 and shorter front line. His awareness is, again, a work in progress, sometimes getting in the way of slashers off of the pick and roll, and his double team awareness definitely needs work. He was triple teamed on one posession and couldn't find anyone. Not sure if he has any semblence of a jumper or not.

Gary · Jan 24, 2009

Thabeet had a nice little alley-oop dunk, but hasn't done much else offensively. How long has he been playing BBALL? 4 years now? He has done OK defensively limiting Harangody's makes by altering a few shots.

My issue with this game in re: to Thabeet. He has been standing around too much when ND misses. I haven't been that critical of him because his rebounding numbers are pretty good, but notice how when ND was shooting he was nowhere near in position to grab a rebound. He did get a lot of McAlarny's misses that were 3pt misses and that were long rebounds.

Scares me when Adrien, or Dyson are inside mixing it up more to grab a board than the 7'3 Thabeet. I think he might get exposed at a higher level of play.

Bballkingsrock · Jan 24, 2009

nbrans said:

Griffin is a 6' 10 right? That should be big enough and he is very strong and athletic for his size. Rubio is pretty athletic actually with his 6' 4 size, which is big enough to do damage on defense and make passes over otehr guards. Kings need one of these players desperately.

nbrans · Jan 24, 2009

Bballkingsrock said:

Well, Griffin's height is a matter of dispute/curiosity.

And I think we'll agree to disagree on Rubio's athleticism. Just watch the beginning of the USA/Spain game (link on the previous page) and watch him bring the ball up vs. Kidd on the opening possession. He could still be a player. I just don't see him as a sure thing.

asakkings · Jan 24, 2009

Griffin is 6'9 at best

ParniValjak · Jan 24, 2009

nbrans said:

If you had to choose one of the 2 (Griffin and Rubio) for the Kings who would you pick and why?

Gary · Jan 24, 2009

Rubio, because Beno sucks..

MassachusettsKingsFan · Jan 24, 2009

Rubio deffinetly fills a need where Thompson is looking better and better every game ..

nbrans · Jan 24, 2009

Čarolija said:

Griffin, because he has the athleticism. But if we get the #1 I'd think strongly about trading down for Teague and picking up another pick or young player.

Lot of basketball left to be played though.

gunks · Jan 24, 2009

Considering Griffin is the consensus #1 pick at this point I believe the NBA is going to rig the lotto to give the Thunder the first pick. Get them their hometown kid.

Cavs got 'Bron, Bulls got Rose, you know how Stern rolls.

MassachusettsKingsFan · Jan 24, 2009

gunks said:

ehh, I thought this too .. but I think the fact that the team was stolen from seatle has some people rooting against them ..

and with the #1 pick in the 2009 NBA draft the Kings select...

All-Star

Hall of Famer

Hall of Famer

Give blood and save a life!

Dog On It!

All-Star

Hall of Famer

Bench

Starter

Starter

Starter

G-League

All-Star

G-League

All-Star

All-Star

Hall of Famer

All-Star

All-Star

Starter

All-Star

All-Star

All-Star

Bench

All-Star

All-Star

All-Star

All-Star

Hall of Famer

All-Star