Better Defense in Feb.

P

ppine

Starter
The Kings' average of points given up to the opposition decreased in Feb. to 101 per game after averaging 107 in the months before. That is a change that is predictable with Coach Malone and very welcome.

The team got 10 blocks against a decimated Denver team. That is something new. I have a vivid recollection of Acy blocking a shot after rotating from the weak side. That is precisely what the Kings' need more of. They have held their last two opponents to under 100 points which resulted in two wins on the road. Team defense takes time, and the time has come for it show itself. Wouldn't it be something if the Kings' could add a big-time shot blocker to their developing defense?
 
Pace adjusted numbers look even better. The Kings had the fifth best defense in the league in February (the top four: Memphis, Golden State, Indiana and Chicago).
Sample size is small and we've seen flashes of defensive prowess in the past years that were never followed by sustained results but this is encouraging at the very least.
 
William Blake said:
Pace adjusted numbers look even better. The Kings had the fifth best defense in the league in February (the top four: Memphis, Golden State, Indiana and Chicago).
Sample size is small and we've seen flashes of defensive prowess in the past years that were never followed by sustained results but this is encouraging at the very least.
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indeed. it's definitely a "watch this space" kinda thing, but it's also pretty encouraging because it means that some portion of coach malone's defensive strategy is beginning to stick. if PDA gets around to providing malone with some defensively-inclined talent this offseason, the kings may be able to officially turn the corner on that side of the ball...
 
Well, perhaps I spoke too soon about Malone, funny, that's NEVER happened before. :)

Really nice to see some defense. More than anything that's what stood out the last couple games, holding opponents to a poor shooting %.
 
The team could be getting better defensively but it sure feels like defensive stats are much more related to playing a bunch of bad/injured teams in February.
 
Npliam said:
The team could be getting better defensively but it sure feels like defensive stats are much more related to playing a bunch of bad/injured teams in February.
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There's also the effect of the Chicago game on the rest of the games in February. Holding a team to ~30% shooting and 70 points for a night will do wonders when you're only looking at a ten game stretch.

That three game stretch against Boston, Washington and Cleveland were some of the worst, most half-hearted games I have seen from the Kings this year, on both sides of the ball. It doesn't feel like turning a corner, yet. Fingers crossed.
 
Chubbs said:
Baby steps. We weren't defending against the bad teams either earlier this season.
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To take it further, we haven't defended anyone in the past 5 years. So i'll take any sort of sampling that says we're improving on that end.

We just need to stay healthy. I feel like once we really start to gain momentum as a team, a key injury has halted our progress. 13-13 with IT-Gay-Cuz all on the floor healthy is a pretty telling stat. Those aren't all chump wins either.
 
Last nights second half defense was definitely good. this team is obviously capable of playing good defense when they put in the effort and communicate
 
The_Jamal said:
To take it further, we haven't defended anyone in the past 5 years. So i'll take any sort of sampling that says we're improving on that end.

We just need to stay healthy. I feel like once we really start to gain momentum as a team, a key injury has halted our progress. 13-13 with IT-Gay-Cuz all on the floor healthy is a pretty telling stat. Those aren't all chump wins either.
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I think, it's 14-13 with them being healthy for the whole game.
And people forget, that Kings routinely get D-League type of contributions from multiple guys.
 
I understand the focus on how we did with guys all healthy and that is balanced by lack of time together, no preseason training etc. but when all is said and done, people get injured.
 
Glenn said:
I understand the focus on how we did with guys all healthy and that is balanced by lack of time together, no preseason training etc. but when all is said and done, people get injured.
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Yeah, just for some perspective I think the Jazz are like 14-8 when the starters are all healthy.
 
Well, Rudy and Boogie average around 72-74 games so far, so getting better contributions from players down the hierarchy makes being .500 team a reasonable expectation for next season.
Kings don't need all 5 starters to be healthy, just two (Napoleon is always ready to fight :p).
 
Bricklayer said:
You guys are lost without Richard Jefferson. :p
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He was a game changer for sure!


Actually he is the classic example of fit. he knows how to play, has been shooting 41% on 3 for the year and usually makes the right play. He isn't a great player but he fits what the Jazz do and that matters. I think having Jefferson on the Kings last year would have been a huge upgrade over what you had.
 
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