http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/91119.html
Barriers up against Warriors
Run-happy teams such as Golden State have troubled the Kings this season.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:38 am PST Tuesday, December 12, 2006
When the Kings left Oracle Arena on Nov. 16, they boarded the bus in Oakland and headed back to Sacramento after falling 117-105 to Golden State.
But there was a different sort of getting back that troubled the Kings even more than returning home, that of lacing up those sneakers and finding a way to defend against a team that's always on the run.
During the early days under new coach Don Nelson, the Warriors took their small-ball approach and put up 40 points in the first quarter against the Kings. When the night was done, Golden State shot an opponents' season-high 57.7 percent from the field.
But the trend was nowhere near over, as the Kings then suffered similar outings against other teams that prefer the sprint to the marathon. It's a problem they would like to see disappear alongside those first-quarter deficits.
"We're putting a premium on that first-quarter defense," Kings coach Eric Musselman said.
By leading 22-20 after one quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, the Kings led after the first quarter for the first time since Nov. 25 against Portland. In looking back, Kings swingman John Salmons said they had ample warning for the Warriors, just not enough transition defense.
"I don't want to say we took it for granted, but we didn't expect them to come out like that," Salmons said. "The coaching staff was warning us that they were going to come out and try to jump on us early, but we just didn't respond to what the coaching staff was telling us.
"I think we know what to expect because it's been happening to us for a while now, and we're going to come out and try to meet the challenge early."
It helps that the Warriors will be without small forward Jason Richardson, who is out with a bone bruise on the inside of his left knee.
Being Brad -- In his first two games back in the starting lineup, Kings center Brad Miller proved his worth again. Entering Sunday's game, Miller was shooting a career-low 33.3 percent from the field. But in the past two games, he hit 13 of 23 field goals, scoring 15 and 19 points against Miami and Atlanta, respectively.
"When I first came back, I was trying to play the best defense I could -- individual and team," said Miller, who missed eight games with a torn tendon in his left foot, then came off the bench in his first six games back. "I wasn't worried about my shot, even though I probably should have cared about it. But I was just trying to do other things.
"I feel good about establishing that part, and now the offense is starting to come back occasionally, and I'm feeling comfortable out there now."
Man down -- Kings small forward Ron Artest sprained his ankle in the closing moments of practice.
"I don't think it's bad enough to keep him out, but it's bad enough to have (him) sit out practice the last 20 minutes," Musselman said.
Kings outlook
And now, the sequel to slump-busting, otherwise known as ... momentum. Should the Kings return from the Bay Area with a win, they will have some sense of a mini-surge -- relatively speaking -- heading into another brutal stretch. After facing the Warriors, it's Utah, Phoenix and Dallas, a threesome that boasts a combined 44-18 record. From there, the Kings take on Washington and Denver - far from slouches. The Kings finally are back to healthy status, so it should be interesting to see if the stability for which coach Eric Musselman has yearned equates into success.
Warriors outlook
When the Kings last saw the Warriors, Golden State was -- and not for the first time -- being discussed as a playoff contender. The Warriors' win over the Kings put them at 6-3, and point guard Baron Davis led the charge, like team executive vice president Chris Mullin always had envisioned. But coach Don Nelson's team has gone 4-8 since, and small forward Jason Richardson is out indefinitely because of a bone bruise on the inside of his left knee. Second-year guard Monta Ellis continues to be a bright spot, averaging 17.6 points, shooting 48 percent from the field and 34 percent on three-pointers.
Key matchup
Kings' defense vs. Baron Davis: Mike Bibby certainly can't stop Davis alone. And even if the Kings mix it up and use Ron Artest on Davis, help must be at Artest's back to contain the player who had 36 points and 18 assists last time against Sacramento.
Probable starters:
Kings - Bibby, Martin, Artest, Thomas, MIller
Warriors - Davis, Ellis, Pietrus, Murphy, Biedrins
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Barriers up against Warriors
Run-happy teams such as Golden State have troubled the Kings this season.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:38 am PST Tuesday, December 12, 2006
When the Kings left Oracle Arena on Nov. 16, they boarded the bus in Oakland and headed back to Sacramento after falling 117-105 to Golden State.
But there was a different sort of getting back that troubled the Kings even more than returning home, that of lacing up those sneakers and finding a way to defend against a team that's always on the run.
During the early days under new coach Don Nelson, the Warriors took their small-ball approach and put up 40 points in the first quarter against the Kings. When the night was done, Golden State shot an opponents' season-high 57.7 percent from the field.
But the trend was nowhere near over, as the Kings then suffered similar outings against other teams that prefer the sprint to the marathon. It's a problem they would like to see disappear alongside those first-quarter deficits.
"We're putting a premium on that first-quarter defense," Kings coach Eric Musselman said.
By leading 22-20 after one quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, the Kings led after the first quarter for the first time since Nov. 25 against Portland. In looking back, Kings swingman John Salmons said they had ample warning for the Warriors, just not enough transition defense.
"I don't want to say we took it for granted, but we didn't expect them to come out like that," Salmons said. "The coaching staff was warning us that they were going to come out and try to jump on us early, but we just didn't respond to what the coaching staff was telling us.
"I think we know what to expect because it's been happening to us for a while now, and we're going to come out and try to meet the challenge early."
It helps that the Warriors will be without small forward Jason Richardson, who is out with a bone bruise on the inside of his left knee.
Being Brad -- In his first two games back in the starting lineup, Kings center Brad Miller proved his worth again. Entering Sunday's game, Miller was shooting a career-low 33.3 percent from the field. But in the past two games, he hit 13 of 23 field goals, scoring 15 and 19 points against Miami and Atlanta, respectively.
"When I first came back, I was trying to play the best defense I could -- individual and team," said Miller, who missed eight games with a torn tendon in his left foot, then came off the bench in his first six games back. "I wasn't worried about my shot, even though I probably should have cared about it. But I was just trying to do other things.
"I feel good about establishing that part, and now the offense is starting to come back occasionally, and I'm feeling comfortable out there now."
Man down -- Kings small forward Ron Artest sprained his ankle in the closing moments of practice.
"I don't think it's bad enough to keep him out, but it's bad enough to have (him) sit out practice the last 20 minutes," Musselman said.
Kings outlook
And now, the sequel to slump-busting, otherwise known as ... momentum. Should the Kings return from the Bay Area with a win, they will have some sense of a mini-surge -- relatively speaking -- heading into another brutal stretch. After facing the Warriors, it's Utah, Phoenix and Dallas, a threesome that boasts a combined 44-18 record. From there, the Kings take on Washington and Denver - far from slouches. The Kings finally are back to healthy status, so it should be interesting to see if the stability for which coach Eric Musselman has yearned equates into success.
Warriors outlook
When the Kings last saw the Warriors, Golden State was -- and not for the first time -- being discussed as a playoff contender. The Warriors' win over the Kings put them at 6-3, and point guard Baron Davis led the charge, like team executive vice president Chris Mullin always had envisioned. But coach Don Nelson's team has gone 4-8 since, and small forward Jason Richardson is out indefinitely because of a bone bruise on the inside of his left knee. Second-year guard Monta Ellis continues to be a bright spot, averaging 17.6 points, shooting 48 percent from the field and 34 percent on three-pointers.
Key matchup
Kings' defense vs. Baron Davis: Mike Bibby certainly can't stop Davis alone. And even if the Kings mix it up and use Ron Artest on Davis, help must be at Artest's back to contain the player who had 36 points and 18 assists last time against Sacramento.
Probable starters:
Kings - Bibby, Martin, Artest, Thomas, MIller
Warriors - Davis, Ellis, Pietrus, Murphy, Biedrins
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
