Bee: Loss makes Kings cringe

VF21

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http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/13940302p-14776909c.html

Loss makes Kings cringe
A flat outing leads to their first three-game skid of the season.
By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Monday, December 5, 2005



The word hadn't come crawling out of their mouths in 21 days.

Back then, it was the second time it had reared its ugly head in a four-day stretch, when losses to Denver and Detroit were of the most confounding, one-sided nature.

"Embarrassed."

The Kings, that is. Embarrassed again.

Mike Bibby said it, as did Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Corliss Williamson. The only ones who didn't were the ones who weren't asked. And only then, the non-question was out of sheer fear of pounding the painful point.

The Kings suffered their first three-game losing streak of the season in futile fashion, losing 85-77 to Minnesota in one of those ignore-the-final-score affairs Sunday night at Arco Arena.

They pulled off quite the head-scratcher, shutting down one-time MVP Kevin Garnett and having it not matter in the slightest. Garnett had just seven points through three quarters, yet the Timberwolves led 66-54.

To that point, Kings coach Rick Adelman had seen his offense sputter in utter confusion as it hadn't since the season-opening debacle in Oklahoma City, his defense let Minnesota shoot 68.8 percent in the first quarter and allow the T-wolves to lead 48-36 at halftime despite 14 turnovers.

He had seen all matter of execution go by the wayside, with Kings passes bouncing off hands, shoulders and heads and the likes of Michael Olowokandi playing as if he was "the Big Ticket" for short stretches.

Most of this work came courtesy of the starters, so Adelman sent a clear message. He benched them.

Adelman inserted a lineup of Kenny Thomas, Brian Skinner, Jason Hart, Francisco García and Williamson to start the fourth. They would end it, too.

"I gave them enough time, and nothing was changing," Adelman said. "The group that went in there was competing, getting after it. We gave up 54 percent again in the first half. They had Olowokandi posting up, (Wally) Szczerbiak running off screens, and no one was even close to them. That kind of stuff shouldn't happen. And it happens because you're not playing hard enough."

Williamson and Skinner played plenty hard. Williamson said the onus remains on the players to figure out their quandary.

"I think it's our mentality," he said. "We're not tough. We don't approach the game right. ... You have to go out and play with the energy, make hard cuts and defend well in order to make the game easy. It's not going to be given to us."

It was the first time Skinner and Williamson had played in three games.

Adelman - who relied recently on Thomas, Hart and García off the bench - said, "I am to the point where maybe somebody else off the bench has to do something."

The starters surely didn't, combining for 39 points. Abdur-Rahim scored in single digits (six points) for the first time this season. Brad Miller went scoreless for the first time since April 4, 2003. The Kings were 1 for 10 from three-point range.

Szczerbiak and Troy Hudson worked around Garnett's off outing, combining for 35 points. Garnett finished with 11 points.

Minnesota ended the first half on a 10-0 run, with Szczerbiak dunking on a fast break to finish it after a Bibby turnover. The boos came for the first time then, though it would not be the last.

"Yeah, I am embarrassed," Bibby said. "I know we're better than what we're doing."

About the writer: The Bee's Sam Amick can be reached at (916) 326-5582 or samick@sacbee.com.
 
Corliss said:
"I think it's our mentality," he said. "We're not tough. We don't approach the game right. ... You have to go out and play with the energy, make hard cuts and defend well in order to make the game easy. It's not going to be given to us."

And that, IMHO, pretty much says all that needs to be said.

And who said it? The guy who brings it every night, never knowing if he'll get off the bench or not. The guy who puts it all on the court and never complains. The guy who gave up his number once so another newcomer could have it...

I'm adding Corliss Williamson to my list of "warrior Kings." The list now has a total of two players on it: Bonzi and Corliss.
 
Re:

Adelman - who relied recently on Thomas, Hart and García off the bench - said, "I am to the point where maybe somebody else off the bench has to do something."

Come on Rick. I could have told you that.

Williamson & Skinner = Bench Scoring, Rebounding and toughness.

Ummm, Isn't that what the team needs?
 
CaminoChaos said:
Williamson & Skinner = Bench Scoring, Rebounding and toughness.
I just don't think they necessarily = wins for this team if that's what we're hoping for. :(
 
kennadog said:
I just don't think they necessarily = wins for this team if that's what we're hoping for. :(

Maybe not, but I think the fans would be happier with losses if it looked like we were giving 100% every night - unfortunately, that isn't the impression I get every game.
 
Right now I would settle for a hard fought loss. At least it would show that they somewhat care.
 
When things go wrong, some people feel they have to find a scapegoat. Rick Adelman is going to be that scapegoat...the handwriting is on the wall.

The problem is that he's NOT the whole problem. The problem goes so much deeper than just the coach.

The "team" isn't a team. It's a bunch of guys who look, at times, like they all just happened to stumble upon a box of uniforms and thought it might be fun to put them on and act like they were a team.

The "team" has been broken since Feb. 23, 2005. Without even discussing whether or not the trade was the only choice they had - which has been done to death - the results are obvious. IT DIDN'T WORK.

Getting rid of Christie was, in retrospect, the right thing to do although we had the interim with Cat before we got Bonzi.

The additions that have been made to our roster just don't work. They haven't gelled and it's becoming more and more obvious that they most likely never will.

There are going to be changes made. This will not continue.

At least one of the remaining three "core" players will be gone. It's pretty much a matter of filling in the blanks in the contract - who will go and who will come here in return.

At this point, to argue about whether or not one or two players should have come into the game earlier, should get more minutes, etc. is just tilting at windmills. Corliss and Brian, with all their heart and "toughness", are NOT going to fix this team by themselves.

It's broken, folks. And the next few weeks and months are going to separate the casual fans from those who truly bleed purple.
 
CaminoChaos said:
Come on Rick. I could have told you that.

Williamson & Skinner = Bench Scoring, Rebounding and toughness.

Ummm, Isn't that what the team needs?

If Rick doesn;t play the kids, then everybody is complianing about playing the kids. If Rick plays the kids, then everybody is complaining about the fact they ain't that good.

In any case, the EFFORT from our bench really hasn't been the issue so far this year. Its been the production/smarts. If Corliss/Skinner play, what happens to Thomas? Garcia and Martin? Thought Rick actually sliding Peja to PG for the first time in years was interesting, because maybe that's the idea -- Peja backs up Bonzi to make a little more room for Corliss or whatnot. But there still aren't minutes, and all the bench hustle in the world would still not make up for our starters complete lack of it.
 
Last edited:
VF21 said:
When things go wrong, some people feel they have to find a scapegoat. Rick Adelman is going to be that scapegoat...the handwriting is on the wall.

The problem is that he's NOT the whole problem. The problem goes so much deeper than just the coach.

The "team" isn't a team. It's a bunch of guys who look, at times, like they all just happened to stumble upon a box of uniforms and thought it might be fun to put them on and act like they were a team.

The "team" has been broken since Feb. 23, 2005. Without even discussing whether or not the trade was the only choice they had - which has been done to death - the results are obvious. IT DIDN'T WORK.

Getting rid of Christie was, in retrospect, the right thing to do although we had the interim with Cat before we got Bonzi.

The additions that have been made to our roster just don't work. They haven't gelled and it's becoming more and more obvious that they most likely never will.

There are going to be changes made. This will not continue.

At least one of the remaining three "core" players will be gone. It's pretty much a matter of filling in the blanks in the contract - who will go and who will come here in return.

At this point, to argue about whether or not one or two players should have come into the game earlier, should get more minutes, etc. is just tilting at windmills. Corliss and Brian, with all their heart and "toughness", are NOT going to fix this team by themselves.

It's broken, folks. And the next few weeks and months are going to separate the casual fans from those who truly bleed purple.

I think this team was broken after that loss to the T'wolves in the playoffs in '04 and that whole Webber, "I'm the leader" comments began.
 
CaminoChaos said:
Come on Rick. I could have told you that.

Williamson & Skinner = Bench Scoring, Rebounding and toughness.

Ummm, Isn't that what the team needs?
Adelman - who relied recently on Thomas, Hart and García off the bench - said, "I am to the point where maybe somebody else off the bench has to do something."
----------------
Hey Rick, you cant honestly tell everyone that it took you this freaking long to figure this one out...I've been screaming at the TV every night ...'Where is Skinner, where is Corliss?!?' Our biggest weakness is heart and toughness, and the guys that have the most are sitting on the bench(not discounting anything Bonzi has done, of course). Our Bench needs to be expanded now, more so than ever...Rick has to utilize the entire team, whether its his freaking style or not. Other than a Peja trade for Loul Deng(*L*), the most glaring thing that the Kings need is to play their tough guys, Skinner, Corliss.
 
SacTownKid said:
I think this team was broken after that loss to the T'wolves in the playoffs in '04 and that whole Webber, "I'm the leader" comments began.

that's funny because I don't remember the Kings sucking this badly at this point of last season.
 
love_them_kings said:
that's funny because I don't remember the Kings sucking this badly at this point of last season.

True, but that team was broken. I remember last season I knew something major was going down because our record against playoff teams was around last in the league.

There is still time for this team, not much however. Dec. 15th is fast approaching!
 
This is the same old story...I'm embarrassed, I don't know what's going on with us and blah,blah,blah.....We all know, overpaid NBA wannabe's ,,,,,,Can I get some players over here.
 
Well, worst case scenario.

Lame duck coach, owners not satisfied with the hometown leaders participation in building new arena, Detroit video debacle, constant media intrusions into personel matters, HUGE roster turnover from one year to the next. All the signs of a 50/50 chance type of thing.
 
I have refused to question Petrie for anything he has ever done. I havent really had a reason. But after the kings got bounced out of the playoffs last season I really thought the mindset of the organization would change. The Maloofs and Petrie were harping on how the kings HAD to get better on defense. This season would be different. Things were gonna change. Well, nothing has changed. And I think now you really have to question the guy who brought these new guys in. This is petries team. He has to answer for our bad defense even after telling us that this kind of play was not going to be tollerated this season. Please let me know if im off base here.
 
Shareef, and I guess Brad, need to go. They're too slow and unathletic. Nobody is afraid of our front line, nobody there blocks shots. We did better last year starting Skinner and Kenny because they were faster and better rebounders. Remember when brad was hurt after the webber trade? We beat teams like the Mavs, 76ers, sonics after the webber trade. No I'm not saying we were better, cuz we 100% WEREN'T. What I'm saying is we could run and get more rebounds and block a few shots. With Brad and Shareef we're 7-10. Why? They're good players but they're too similar. Shareef is unathletic, can't block, bad rebounder, good passer. Same with Brad. Only differen't is their offensive games, Brad's is high Reef's is low. They still have decent trade value, we might still be able to get a star, and we'll probably be able to get equal value back and if we can get someone who blocks and rebounds we'll be a better team. Rick said earlier
"I can put them in every different offense in the league" and something else I forget. But he needs to do it, Princeton O isn't workin for us with this group of players. Make Mike more of a traditional point. He's no Nash, but he's still a good PG. Peja can go too for all I care.
 
Danny Ocean said:
I have refused to question Petrie for anything he has ever done. I havent really had a reason. But after the kings got bounced out of the playoffs last season I really thought the mindset of the organization would change. The Maloofs and Petrie were harping on how the kings HAD to get better on defense. This season would be different. Things were gonna change. Well, nothing has changed. And I think now you really have to question the guy who brought these new guys in. This is petries team. He has to answer for our bad defense even after telling us that this kind of play was not going to be tollerated this season. Please let me know if im off base here.

Actually by all accounts Rick Adelman had a major role in putting this team together.
 
SacTownKid said:
Actually by all accounts Rick Adelman had a major role in putting this team together.

Or at least by one account. I do seriously wonder about that -- Rick hasn't looked like he really wanted to coach these guys, nor sure of exactly how to approach it. At no point has it felt like "ooh, there's my perfect piece". Throw in the schism that opened up in the wake of the PJ mess and I have a hard time seeing him directing much of anything.

If I had to guess I would think that meant maybe he got a consult, and maybe, just maybe, he was responsible for some of our guys RETURNING who otherwise would not have. That would fit into Rick's normal loyalty to players.
 
Danny Ocean said:
I have refused to question Petrie for anything he has ever done. I havent really had a reason. But after the kings got bounced out of the playoffs last season I really thought the mindset of the organization would change. The Maloofs and Petrie were harping on how the kings HAD to get better on defense. This season would be different. Things were gonna change. Well, nothing has changed. And I think now you really have to question the guy who brought these new guys in. This is petries team. He has to answer for our bad defense even after telling us that this kind of play was not going to be tollerated this season. Please let me know if im off base here.

You're not.
 
If they don't start steppin up the entire team should be banned.............
 
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