Arco game report: Handling bigger role is Evans' challenge

[LMM]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12013989p-12884382c.html

Arco game report: Handling bigger role is Evans' challenge



By Joe Davidson -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Maurice Evans brought the right jersey to work Tuesday night to place next to the familiar Kings garb waiting for him in his stall.



Evans sported a retro Walt Frazier No. 10, and although the first-year King isn't exactly a point guard never to be confused with the New York Knicks legend, he didn't become a turnover casualty during a sudden start against the Denver Nuggets.



Evans stepped in for the traded Doug Christie, just his second such assignment after starting the season opener while Christie was healing a tender foot. Tuesday, Evans delivered 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, only one turnover and a few snaps of the rim during a 109-100 Kings triumph.

Evans has skills galore, none better than the ability to jump and touch the rafters, but ballhandling remains a work in progress. Christie was very capable with the ball in his hands, and Evans was sure not to throw it all over the place.

"I'm confident with the ball, handling it and doing things with it," Evans said. "I'm not ever going to be Allen Iverson or Baron Davis with the killer cross-over, but I'm not going to turn it over six times. I tried to be smart with it." Imagine that lineup

Kings fans would have been wondering if someone had suggested immediately after last season that the team's lineup would include Eddie House, Matt Barnes and Kevin Martin in a tight game this season.

But those three players were on the floor at one point in the second quarter, and they helped the Kings build a 10-point lead. Martin, a first-round draft pick, scored a career-high 17 points in 18 energized minutes.

Cross-court reunion

T.R. Dunn played 10 years with the Nuggets and was an assistant coach with Denver the last two seasons before accepting a spot on Rick Adelman's Kings staff.Dunn wanted to remain with the Nuggets, although Tuesday he said, "I'm real comfortable here," adding the shuffling of coaches is part of the business.

Dunn made sure to embrace old pupils such as Nene and Carmelo Anthony.

"I do follow some of those guys when I can," Dunn said.

Not quite Olympian

Kings center Greg Ostertag blocked two shots, both in the first half at the expense of Anthony, who looked stunned each time. After one, a fan blurted, "That's a bronze-medal effort, Melo!"

QUESTION POSED

CAN THE KINGS CONTINUE TO WIN WITHOUT A TRUE BACKUP POINT GUARD? With Bobby Jackson out and Doug Christie bound for Orlando, the options against Denver included a ton of Mike Bibby and a little of newly signed Eddie House. Bibby was solid as always, gutting out the final eight minutes of his 40-minute night with a tender ankle and scoring 18 points with seven assists. But the Kings had only 17 assists, none on back-door cuts by Peja Stojakovic, who scored often on that play off Christie's passes. House, not a true point guard, had no points, one assist and one steal in 11 minutes.





- Joe Davidson

KING FOR A DAY

PEJA STOJAKOVIC - With the roster depleted, the forward carried the Kings in the fourth quarter, when they blew the game open. He had 27 points, including three three-pointers, in 40 minutes.



BIG NUMBER

6 - Kings players scoring in double figures, with only nine dressed.



TALKING POINTS RETURNS

Post your opinions about the Doug Christie deal and other Kings' topics with host Ron Wenig. Go to: http://forums.sacbee.com/ talkingpoints/

 

[PFFFT!!]

This guy is the real deal. I'm hoping, if Mobley pans out, that he will be Jackson's successor for the future of the team. He's got serious hops and plays like he really enjoys the game. He goes after every ball, and has the energy for it.

 

[Bricklayer]

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/kings/story/12013989p-12884382c.html

CAN THE KINGS CONTINUE TO WIN WITHOUT A TRUE BACKUP POINT GUARD? With Bobby Jackson out and Doug Christie bound for Orlando, the options against Denver included a ton of Mike Bibby and a little of newly signed Eddie House. Bibby was solid as always, gutting out the final eight minutes of his 40-minute night with a tender ankle and scoring 18 points with seven assists. But the Kings had only 17 assists, none on back-door cuts by Peja Stojakovic, who scored often on that play off Christie's passes. House, not a true point guard, had no points, one assist and one steal in 11 minutes.

That low assist total last night can be explained by having two of our three top assist guys gone (Webb and DC), and the third one hobbled for the 4th quarter. But it will be something to watch for the rest of the year. We lead the league in assists, and the lion's share of those have been distributed amongst our three-headed PG -- Webb/Bibby/DC. Now its only got two heads. So either Webb and Bibby have to up their assist production even further, Brad has to step up and become a more prolific passer again, or Mobley has to come in and show that he can be a strong passing OG (not unprecedented for guys to come into ouor system and up their assist totals). We'll see.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I think a slight increase on behalf of both Miller and Mobley up to last years numbers would do the trick

 

[mcsluggo]

I'm confident Nobly's assist #s will rise here. The question is how far (far enough?)

 

[AleksandarN]

I think what really needs to be done is to have Brad to be more involved in offensive distribution. More like Vlade was last year. That is critial key in getting the ball movement the Kings want.

 

[Padrino]

i gotta tell ya, i never expected mo evans to maintain the poise that he has thus far. he's really a very mature player for such a young'un. he's got his role down. what a steal this guy has proved to be. i love him. much respect to special-k as well. he came out last night and got the job done. it seems like every week he's setting new career highs. im diggin the new face of the kings bench. the whole team got much much younger these past coupla weeks, w/ bobby goin down and the unexpected traed of DC. we may yet be able to keep up with teams like phoenix and seattle.

 

[Bballkingsrock]

I think that Mo Evans can take this bigger role. He has showed me a lot with his aggressiveness, talent, and hustle plays. ( Like when he putback slam it all the time)

 

[Kingsgurl]

People forget, Mo isn't that young, he's 26. Nor is he that inexperienced, he did play overseas. NBA inexperienced, true, but hardly basketball inexperienced. His weakness used to be his outside shooting and he's obviously worked very hard to improve in this area. He deserves much props for sticking with it and working hard.