http://www.sacbee.com/351/story/115059.html
No defense: Kings' opponents shooting a higher percentage
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:19 am PST Monday, January 29, 2007
MEMPHIS-By Sunday, after Dallas the night before and so many nightmares before that, the team of broken promises was tied for 21st in the NBA in shooting defense.
The Kings had either lied, completely misjudged the situation themselves or, in the leading possibility, dropped it on Rick Adelman's porch, rung the bell and ran. There are other potential explanations -- the coach is new, the system is new, everyone is adjusting -- but there is no hiding.
After establishing an improved defense as the priority last offseason, after the party line of saying it would be a priority in choosing a replacement for Adelman as coach, after raising banners in the practice facility to reflect this new commitment, the Kings have gotten worse.
And not by a little. They were 16th last season in shooting defense, the most commonly accepted measure of a team's ability to stop opponents, at 45.4 percent, one spot removed from average in the 30-team league. Now, they are at 46.4 percent and beating out only eight clubs, none of which changed coaches in the summer with the claim of a renewed emphasis.
Of greater concern in a fast-fading season, there are as many signs the situation is worsening as there are indications of improvement under Eric Musselman, Adelman's replacement. Indeed, they began play Saturday fourth-best in forcing turnovers, proving a defensive style designed to be more aggressive than past years is having an effect.
In the Kings' past 10 games, though, eight times their opponents exceeded Sacramento's season mark for defensive field-goal percentage. In 14 January contests, it has happened 11 times, with six of the 11 opponents breaking 48 percent when the league shooting average is 45.6. Dallas shot 52.6 percent Saturday night, which could be dismissed as the same offensive clinic the Mavericks can drop on anybody if not for the fact that the Kings becoming a sparring partner has become common.
Two games prior, Milwaukee didn't have offensive standout Michael Redd and logged a 47.4, on the road, on the second night of a back-to-back. And three games before that night at Arco Arena and a Kings victory, Boston didn't have Paul Pierce and posted a 48.1 anyway.
Musselman, asked to describe the defense the first half of the season, termed it "adequate with the definite wanting to improve" and noted that "we've been happy when we look at where we rank defensively. We look every day, and forcing turnovers we're fourth in the league, which is a big jump. When we look at points off turnovers, we've made a big jump, too. Those are two things that show aggressiveness defensively. So that's moving in the right direction. If we can improve slightly in taking charges/blocking shots, one of those two areas, I think it will make our defense even better.
"But the thing we can control -- hands, deflections, getting turnovers -- that's the drastic improvement that is a good sign for us."
The season reaches its 43rd game tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. So there goes the part about the new coach/new system/adjustment period.
"I think (Musselman) came in with a very different defensive philosophy, in terms of trying to get more pressure on the ball, doing a lot more fronting in the post, and more aggressively helping," said Geoff Petrie, Kings basketball president. "I think the main thing you can say at this point is that it's still a work in progress. We've had periods where we have defended very well and been very active, and then we've had other periods where we've struggled to cover certain areas of the court.
"Against certain players, you're going to have that regardless of what you're trying to do sometimes. But at this point, we are giving up more points per game than we did for the season last year. It's something we need to keep working on."
Does that mean the defense is worse than last season?
"I don't know," Petrie said. "It's one of these things where you can prove anything with statistics. We're much better in some areas than we've ever been, as far as creating turnovers and getting steals and things like that. But opponents' field-goal percentage is much higher and we're giving up more points. So we have improved in some areas, but in the big picture, we just need to get better."
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
No defense: Kings' opponents shooting a higher percentage
By Scott Howard-Cooper - Bee Staff Writer
Last Updated 6:19 am PST Monday, January 29, 2007
MEMPHIS-By Sunday, after Dallas the night before and so many nightmares before that, the team of broken promises was tied for 21st in the NBA in shooting defense.
The Kings had either lied, completely misjudged the situation themselves or, in the leading possibility, dropped it on Rick Adelman's porch, rung the bell and ran. There are other potential explanations -- the coach is new, the system is new, everyone is adjusting -- but there is no hiding.
After establishing an improved defense as the priority last offseason, after the party line of saying it would be a priority in choosing a replacement for Adelman as coach, after raising banners in the practice facility to reflect this new commitment, the Kings have gotten worse.
And not by a little. They were 16th last season in shooting defense, the most commonly accepted measure of a team's ability to stop opponents, at 45.4 percent, one spot removed from average in the 30-team league. Now, they are at 46.4 percent and beating out only eight clubs, none of which changed coaches in the summer with the claim of a renewed emphasis.
Of greater concern in a fast-fading season, there are as many signs the situation is worsening as there are indications of improvement under Eric Musselman, Adelman's replacement. Indeed, they began play Saturday fourth-best in forcing turnovers, proving a defensive style designed to be more aggressive than past years is having an effect.
In the Kings' past 10 games, though, eight times their opponents exceeded Sacramento's season mark for defensive field-goal percentage. In 14 January contests, it has happened 11 times, with six of the 11 opponents breaking 48 percent when the league shooting average is 45.6. Dallas shot 52.6 percent Saturday night, which could be dismissed as the same offensive clinic the Mavericks can drop on anybody if not for the fact that the Kings becoming a sparring partner has become common.
Two games prior, Milwaukee didn't have offensive standout Michael Redd and logged a 47.4, on the road, on the second night of a back-to-back. And three games before that night at Arco Arena and a Kings victory, Boston didn't have Paul Pierce and posted a 48.1 anyway.
Musselman, asked to describe the defense the first half of the season, termed it "adequate with the definite wanting to improve" and noted that "we've been happy when we look at where we rank defensively. We look every day, and forcing turnovers we're fourth in the league, which is a big jump. When we look at points off turnovers, we've made a big jump, too. Those are two things that show aggressiveness defensively. So that's moving in the right direction. If we can improve slightly in taking charges/blocking shots, one of those two areas, I think it will make our defense even better.
"But the thing we can control -- hands, deflections, getting turnovers -- that's the drastic improvement that is a good sign for us."
The season reaches its 43rd game tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. So there goes the part about the new coach/new system/adjustment period.
"I think (Musselman) came in with a very different defensive philosophy, in terms of trying to get more pressure on the ball, doing a lot more fronting in the post, and more aggressively helping," said Geoff Petrie, Kings basketball president. "I think the main thing you can say at this point is that it's still a work in progress. We've had periods where we have defended very well and been very active, and then we've had other periods where we've struggled to cover certain areas of the court.
"Against certain players, you're going to have that regardless of what you're trying to do sometimes. But at this point, we are giving up more points per game than we did for the season last year. It's something we need to keep working on."
Does that mean the defense is worse than last season?
"I don't know," Petrie said. "It's one of these things where you can prove anything with statistics. We're much better in some areas than we've ever been, as far as creating turnovers and getting steals and things like that. But opponents' field-goal percentage is much higher and we're giving up more points. So we have improved in some areas, but in the big picture, we just need to get better."
About the writer: The Bee's Scott Howard-Cooper can be reached at showard-cooper@sacbee.com.
