http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/418030.html
Kings going through wringer
Coach Reggie Theus pushes players hard during training camp.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 1:06 am PDT Saturday, October 6, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
The shirts are meant for more than collecting sweat, a team-issued variety that Kings coach Reggie Theus had made with a purpose.
"T-eam, R-espect, U-rgency, S-acrifice, T-oughness."
Trust.
After the Kings had worked 3 1/2 hours Friday at their practice facility, their shirts carried so much perspiration that they represented a different 'T' word altogether.
Tired.
Theus' first training camp as an NBA coach has been a rigorous one, by no means as methodical as those under Rick Adelman and -- players say -- a step up in intensity from those under Eric Musselman. A Friday scrimmage displayed what Theus has been preaching, a game that would have made Bill Laimbeer smile and Peja Stojakovic cringe.
For nearly 90 minutes, bodies banged no matter how many millions they were worth. Offseason addition Mikki Moore flailed ferociously, Francisco García and Kevin Martin took charges of the most painful kind, and Ron Artest made his way through the paint as if he were the bowling ball and his teammates the pins. Kings center Brad Miller finished the session with his left foot in a bucket of ice, an energetic teammate having stepped on an already sore toe to cause his early exit.
This, of course, was supposed to be the lighter day, the first time since camp started Monday when the team would practice once instead of twice. Asked if he would hit the coaching brakes a bit as Tuesday's exhibition opener at home against Seattle nears, Theus sounded ready to keep the gas pedal down.
"I've actually been thinking about, Where do I back off?" Theus said. "And you know what? We're trying to make the playoffs, and I think that a hard training camp sets the tone.
"Today's the first day where guys looked at me and said, 'C'mon, coach, we've got to call some fouls.' We had guys pretty much going in there with forearms and elbows."
In less than a week, two coaching realities about Theus have been revealed. For starters, the notion that he had come on the scene as a former player befriending his younger brothers in the NBA fraternity was quickly dispelled when word of his Reggie Rules leaked.
A midnight curfew on evenings before road games was the true tone setter, coupled with his banning the use of cell phones on the team bus. Now comes the second part, the obvious fact that Theus' focus and intentions for team identity on the floor couldn't be further from his image as an offense-first player.
Time and again, Theus has told his new squad that scoring is not the concern.
Mike Bibby has put up points his entire career, and Martin did it as efficiently as anyone in the league last season, leading the Kings. A lighter Miller should be able to regain his offensive game, and Artest certainly is a dangerous offensive threat. Thus, leave that end of the floor for later.
Miller estimates that defense has been the focus for 80 percent of the current camp, mixed in with 20 percent offense and conditioning.
Oh, the conditioning.
The first day came with the order of 28-second suicides. Miller said his best time was 32 seconds, during his college days at Purdue. Again, the tone was set.
"That whooped our (butts)," said Miller, who nonetheless achieved the task.
There are old-fashioned pushups, too, sets of five when Theus is unhappy with the effort. And thus far, there is no such thing as halfcourt.
"I think the difference is Musselman's (camp) was intense, but it was mostly halfcourt," Martin said. "Adelman's was productive, but he had his veteran players, and they knew what to do. Reggie, this year, I think, is a lot tougher because it's more up and down on both ends ... . Everybody's definitely competing right now on a positive level."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
Kings going through wringer
Coach Reggie Theus pushes players hard during training camp.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 1:06 am PDT Saturday, October 6, 2007
Story appeared in SPORTS section, Page C1
The shirts are meant for more than collecting sweat, a team-issued variety that Kings coach Reggie Theus had made with a purpose.
"T-eam, R-espect, U-rgency, S-acrifice, T-oughness."
Trust.
After the Kings had worked 3 1/2 hours Friday at their practice facility, their shirts carried so much perspiration that they represented a different 'T' word altogether.
Tired.
Theus' first training camp as an NBA coach has been a rigorous one, by no means as methodical as those under Rick Adelman and -- players say -- a step up in intensity from those under Eric Musselman. A Friday scrimmage displayed what Theus has been preaching, a game that would have made Bill Laimbeer smile and Peja Stojakovic cringe.
For nearly 90 minutes, bodies banged no matter how many millions they were worth. Offseason addition Mikki Moore flailed ferociously, Francisco García and Kevin Martin took charges of the most painful kind, and Ron Artest made his way through the paint as if he were the bowling ball and his teammates the pins. Kings center Brad Miller finished the session with his left foot in a bucket of ice, an energetic teammate having stepped on an already sore toe to cause his early exit.
This, of course, was supposed to be the lighter day, the first time since camp started Monday when the team would practice once instead of twice. Asked if he would hit the coaching brakes a bit as Tuesday's exhibition opener at home against Seattle nears, Theus sounded ready to keep the gas pedal down.
"I've actually been thinking about, Where do I back off?" Theus said. "And you know what? We're trying to make the playoffs, and I think that a hard training camp sets the tone.
"Today's the first day where guys looked at me and said, 'C'mon, coach, we've got to call some fouls.' We had guys pretty much going in there with forearms and elbows."
In less than a week, two coaching realities about Theus have been revealed. For starters, the notion that he had come on the scene as a former player befriending his younger brothers in the NBA fraternity was quickly dispelled when word of his Reggie Rules leaked.
A midnight curfew on evenings before road games was the true tone setter, coupled with his banning the use of cell phones on the team bus. Now comes the second part, the obvious fact that Theus' focus and intentions for team identity on the floor couldn't be further from his image as an offense-first player.
Time and again, Theus has told his new squad that scoring is not the concern.
Mike Bibby has put up points his entire career, and Martin did it as efficiently as anyone in the league last season, leading the Kings. A lighter Miller should be able to regain his offensive game, and Artest certainly is a dangerous offensive threat. Thus, leave that end of the floor for later.
Miller estimates that defense has been the focus for 80 percent of the current camp, mixed in with 20 percent offense and conditioning.
Oh, the conditioning.
The first day came with the order of 28-second suicides. Miller said his best time was 32 seconds, during his college days at Purdue. Again, the tone was set.
"That whooped our (butts)," said Miller, who nonetheless achieved the task.
There are old-fashioned pushups, too, sets of five when Theus is unhappy with the effort. And thus far, there is no such thing as halfcourt.
"I think the difference is Musselman's (camp) was intense, but it was mostly halfcourt," Martin said. "Adelman's was productive, but he had his veteran players, and they knew what to do. Reggie, this year, I think, is a lot tougher because it's more up and down on both ends ... . Everybody's definitely competing right now on a positive level."
About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at samick@sacbee.com.
And what you heard from him in the beginning was not very positive.
