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Bibby, Musselman develop chemistry
Mike Bibby and Kings coach Eric Musselman have developed a leadership chemistry
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:39 am PDT Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
They talk so often in person, before and after practice, and via cell phone that you'd half expect them to share a late-night MySpace exchange for kicks.
Point guard Mike Bibby, the Kings' veteran floor leader, is in constant contact with his new boss, coach Eric Musselman. They discuss strategy, practices, goals. Shot selection, matchups, defense. They even warn one another to beware, that one son is about to head-fake the other lad on a go route in a parking-lot football game that has become the weekend norm at the Kings' practice facility.
Trust and mutual admiration. The pupil and the coach have that, and they will need a steady supply of it if the Kings are to develop from training camp curiosity into another playoff team. Bibby said he enjoyed working with departed coach Rick Adelman the previous five campaigns, but he didn't like how his role changed in the second half of last season and into the playoffs.
When the Kings became more of a post-oriented team, Bibby was needed to be more of a shooter. He liked the vote of confidence, but when he looks back, he wonders if he was underused.
"I became a spot-up shooter," Bibby said. "Last year, I was in the top five in the NBA in three-point attempts and makes. I was shooting threes, but I'm not a three-point shooter. That's not me. I'm more of a creator who can shoot."
But how does one explain Bibby's 2005-06 season, when he averaged a career-high 21.1 points? Didn't the ploy work?
At times, yes, Bibby admitted.
"I didn't like throwing the ball in the post and waiting in the corner for the ball," Bibby said. "I don't like playing like that because I don't play that well like that.
"In the playoffs, the Spurs had me covered. Tony Parker didn't leave me. It hurt us."
Bibby said he rolled with it the best he could.
"I did what the coaches asked," he said. "We played with four post-up guys a lot. To be my best, I have to be a creator."
He will receive no argument or resistance from Musselman.
"Mike does a great job of feeling his way out there," Musselman said. "We've given him a lot of freedom. We're not going to give him a lot of rules and regulations."
It goes back to the coach-player relationship. On the same page.
"It's freedom with some, 'Coach, what do you think?' " Musselman said. "There will be times I'll call a play, too. You've got to have a lot of trust, and right now, there's a lot of that."
Bibby also has been more of a leader since training camp started. He has craved the role since last season began, only he's more blunt about it. He talks more in practice, will correct a young player who went one way on a play when he should have gone the other way, and shows more commitment to defense. Musselman appreciates all of it.
"Chris Webber is gone, and so is Vlade Divac, and I'm the last one here," Bibby said. "I'm the leader now. I won't yell at guys. That's not me. But I'll tell someone, 'That's a bad shot,' or to slow it down."
Bibby's defense has been helped by a 15-pound loss. Now down to his college weight of 180, he's lighter on his feet and quicker to hawk the ball, yet he remains strong enough not to get plowed under on a pick.
"He's applying a lot of defensive pressure now," Kings guard Kevin Martin said. "I haven't seen Mike do that since I got here."
Bibby said he wasn't lazy on defense before but admitted he never has been Allen Iverson-quick. He hasn't always had a lot of top defenders playing behind him, either.
"You can always get better, and I'm working on my defense," he said. "A lot of times, defense is about the help defense you get. We helped each other (in routing Dallas on Thursday). If someone got past me before and there wasn't anyone there to help, I wasn't playing defense. That's what people thought. Now, if someone passes me by and I have help -- now I'm playing defense.
Playing defense, playing the role of leader, playing to create. The new, revised Mike Bibby.
Bibby, Musselman develop chemistry
Mike Bibby and Kings coach Eric Musselman have developed a leadership chemistry
By Joe Davidson - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:39 am PDT Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
They talk so often in person, before and after practice, and via cell phone that you'd half expect them to share a late-night MySpace exchange for kicks.
Point guard Mike Bibby, the Kings' veteran floor leader, is in constant contact with his new boss, coach Eric Musselman. They discuss strategy, practices, goals. Shot selection, matchups, defense. They even warn one another to beware, that one son is about to head-fake the other lad on a go route in a parking-lot football game that has become the weekend norm at the Kings' practice facility.
Trust and mutual admiration. The pupil and the coach have that, and they will need a steady supply of it if the Kings are to develop from training camp curiosity into another playoff team. Bibby said he enjoyed working with departed coach Rick Adelman the previous five campaigns, but he didn't like how his role changed in the second half of last season and into the playoffs.
When the Kings became more of a post-oriented team, Bibby was needed to be more of a shooter. He liked the vote of confidence, but when he looks back, he wonders if he was underused.
"I became a spot-up shooter," Bibby said. "Last year, I was in the top five in the NBA in three-point attempts and makes. I was shooting threes, but I'm not a three-point shooter. That's not me. I'm more of a creator who can shoot."
But how does one explain Bibby's 2005-06 season, when he averaged a career-high 21.1 points? Didn't the ploy work?
At times, yes, Bibby admitted.
"I didn't like throwing the ball in the post and waiting in the corner for the ball," Bibby said. "I don't like playing like that because I don't play that well like that.
"In the playoffs, the Spurs had me covered. Tony Parker didn't leave me. It hurt us."
Bibby said he rolled with it the best he could.
"I did what the coaches asked," he said. "We played with four post-up guys a lot. To be my best, I have to be a creator."
He will receive no argument or resistance from Musselman.
"Mike does a great job of feeling his way out there," Musselman said. "We've given him a lot of freedom. We're not going to give him a lot of rules and regulations."
It goes back to the coach-player relationship. On the same page.
"It's freedom with some, 'Coach, what do you think?' " Musselman said. "There will be times I'll call a play, too. You've got to have a lot of trust, and right now, there's a lot of that."
Bibby also has been more of a leader since training camp started. He has craved the role since last season began, only he's more blunt about it. He talks more in practice, will correct a young player who went one way on a play when he should have gone the other way, and shows more commitment to defense. Musselman appreciates all of it.
"Chris Webber is gone, and so is Vlade Divac, and I'm the last one here," Bibby said. "I'm the leader now. I won't yell at guys. That's not me. But I'll tell someone, 'That's a bad shot,' or to slow it down."
Bibby's defense has been helped by a 15-pound loss. Now down to his college weight of 180, he's lighter on his feet and quicker to hawk the ball, yet he remains strong enough not to get plowed under on a pick.
"He's applying a lot of defensive pressure now," Kings guard Kevin Martin said. "I haven't seen Mike do that since I got here."
Bibby said he wasn't lazy on defense before but admitted he never has been Allen Iverson-quick. He hasn't always had a lot of top defenders playing behind him, either.
"You can always get better, and I'm working on my defense," he said. "A lot of times, defense is about the help defense you get. We helped each other (in routing Dallas on Thursday). If someone got past me before and there wasn't anyone there to help, I wasn't playing defense. That's what people thought. Now, if someone passes me by and I have help -- now I'm playing defense.
Playing defense, playing the role of leader, playing to create. The new, revised Mike Bibby.
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