Cavs @ Kings Game Thread

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piksi

Hall of Famer
#1
Due to vacation I won't be able to do game threads for Nuggets, Sixers, Lakers and Mavs.
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In a truly memorable game Kings somehow beat pathetic Bulls "so called basketball team" after being down 35 points in the 3rd quarter to improve to 13-14 and 3-11 on the road. Kings riding two game road winning streak. After going 2-2 on 4 games in 5 nights game thread, Kings won in Chicago to finish this sequence of games before they return home for holidays and looking at the schedule - Santa hates us so we should have stayed on the road.
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Nothing like "marry Christmas" between Cavs and Lakers. Well, you have to play them all over and over again. You have easy patches and brutal patches of the schedule. We are entering a very brutal schedule and I am looking forward too it. 8 of next 10 games are at home and the 2 road games are near by. This is followed by 6 game East Coast trip.
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We start with Cavs and that will be a nice test for our "front line." Additionally, we have a chance to upset a top team. Cavs don't score much and we can keep it close. Would be nice to see a Evans vs James finish. We are a young team that needs this kind of games.
After spending Christmas with their families - Kings will host the best 8 in basketball - the lakers (have always 3 extra players on the floor). Their front line vs our front line - terrifying thought - isn't it ? ARCO will go wild and if Kings manage to keep their composure and Cavs make lakers tired the day before - well one can dream
2 days later - we host Denver and that is a winnable game but also nice test for our bench since Denver has a good bench too.
2 days after that - Sixers show up and that is dangerous game because we would be the favorites and we will be challenged to adjust from good to bad.
Start a new year in silicon city and I will most certainly be hangover so in case we get killed - won't even notice. Then we host Mavs and Suns - both difficult but winnable games.
Then we cross the bridge for the Warriors and then host Denver again and magic in a game where Magic will try to break some kind of NBA record again.
And if we are still alive and haven't clinched playoffs yet - we will go East for 6 games and I am looking forward to that because I will go be able to go to bed on time for a change.
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Crazy game in a good way. We deserved this one, we suffered enough in the last 4 seasons. We have been on the other end way, waaaaaaaaaay too many times to remember. We lost games at the buzzer, we gave leads away. Tonight we deserved it. It was a small payback for EVERYTHING. For wondering every single night - why us and why again? Just for once we were the lucky once. We got the breaks, made right plays and we had that ONE guys to seal the deal. It was overdue.
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Sport is unpredictable. It is never over, it doesn't forgive arrogance, complacency and disrespect to the opponents or to the game. You do any of those - you pay and it is expensive. Just ask the Bulls. I am so happy not to be Bulls fan. Bulls thought it was over and they stopped mentally and the snow ball effect took over. They did everything wrong and we did almost everything right and for once, just for once it was enough. Bulls fans didn't like it and when their team needed them the most - they booed loudly. While boos were well deserved - they were detrimental for the Bulls team. They looked like an army in disarray. They don't have a coach to begin with. Finally, this is someone else's problem.
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John Brockman is my new Bobby Jackson. Undersized, always mismatched, underdog who is not supposed to make it. Well John like Bobby has a quality that can neutralize all weaknesses. You can't measure heart, desire, will, drive. There is no number, no value that you can assign. There is no box score column for it. I will take a John Brockman over Spencer Hawes, Brad Miller and such. I don't care about size and stats. If there is lose ball in play - there i John Brockman. If there is a pile of bodies on the floor - You bet that once of then will be John Brockman. If there is a rebound to be had - John will take it. If there is a pick to set - John will do that too. If there is an open three to be shot - well Spencer already missed it.
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Kings played awful for two and a half quarters and were DEAD. Fat lady finished singing, eulogy was written and read. It was all over. What happened then was a history and will be remembered for a long time. Will it have a deeper impact - hard to predict but it will be remembered for a long time. WTF happened - many things at the same times. Bulls celebrated to early and Kings driven by a very stubborn coach refused to stop playing. Momentum shifted and snow ball effect happened. Bulls were going fast and had no one who could stop it. They had no coach or a star player. We on the other hand never stopped to be agressive. This is a game where you look at the stat sheet and think - if this paper was softer - it would make great toilet paper.
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Let's take a closer look to some matchups that were interesting to me, 3 of which I expected and one I didin't but I am glad it happened.

"Tigers matchup" - Rose dominated first half. Evans looked like a tired rookie. Looked ugly, was ugly. It reversed in the second half big time and at the end Evans came trough despite missing some critical free throws down the stretch.

"Garbage matchup"
- Slamons vs Nocioni - if you don't remember Kings and Bulls swapped their garbage last season. Once again they both proved that they are garbage when it comse to playing basketball and both were instrumental in our win. Nocioni by not being on the floor and Salmons by being on the floor

"White trash matchup" Miller vs Hawes. The "white trash" phrase only relates to their current basketball skills. Both of them honored their level of skills. Brad once upon time was and all star. Spencer is a long long way to become one. He is currently 35 points down in the 3rd quarter.

Brockman vs everyting that moves matchup - allow me to repeat myslef - If there is lose ball in play - there i John Brockman. If there is a pile of bodies on the floor - You bet that once of then will be John Brockman. If there is a rebound to be had - John will take it. If there is a pick to set - John will do that too. If there is an open three to be shot - well Spencer already missed it.
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AWARD TIME

TDM - Gibson was good but not god enough

LW-VC - Thank you John Salmons for not wearing Kings uniform anymore

JHA - Casspi - didn't have it tonight

MIKKI - Nocioni - awful

SAR - Metuselah - Brad Miller

RA&1 - John Salmons

Jax/Walk - Nocioni

WTF moment of the games - Chicago Bulls lead by 35 in the 3rd quarter. Take a guess who won the game. Well, it wasn't them.
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Cavs are next and what the hell - just bring them on. What is the worse it can happen ? We won't be down 35 in the 3rd quarter again. Lebron Cavaliers have been playing well mostly 8 on 5 when neccessary. They have a very tall and very old front line, they have a good bench , they have Lebron and the best referees NBA can give them. A game in which we have absolutely nothing to lose. Another game for Evans & co. to leave their calling card for future references. For us to win this - it would require their bigs to be awful and Lebron to shoot poorly.
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Here are matchups that I am (not) looking forward to:

Shaq & Z vs whatever junk we have - both of the Cavs players are decomposing fast on a decline that even Bulls didn't experience last night. We don't have any bigs. Will see what happens.

Varejao vs flopping - he will flop more than 5 times

Kings bench - Cavs bench - should be exciting.

Evans vs Lebron + referees if it is a close game. Another challenge for Evans and another great experience.

Nocioni vs the ARCO rims - will they hurt after the game?
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Evans - it is your house, kid
Nocioni - go away
Spencer - boooooooo
Casspi - bounce back
Thompson - decent

Beno - class
Brockman - hell yeah
Udoka - there you go

rest mateen
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Lebron cavaliers 21-8 and 10-6 on the road are an elite team in the NBA. A scalp would be priceless at this point of this new chapter in Kings jistory. They are veteran team (ripe) playing good defense having a superstar and few nice pieces. Hickson will win the TDM. LW-VC will go to Parker. Kings could win this.
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piksi

Hall of Famer
#5
We are still not going to make playoffs unless we play Bulls every single night and even then we won't

Games like this happen once every hundred years. Too bad we wasted our on such insignificant occasion.
 

Larry89

Disgruntled Kings Fan
#8
Well I just watched Lebron totally dismantle the Suns in the 4th, and I think Kings will have their hands full tommorrow, Short travel for the Cavs, long ride for the Kings
 
#10
Due to vacation I won't be able to do game threads for Nuggets, Sixers, Lakers and Mavs.

Got it. But I'm gone from JAN 5 - 12th, I have to take a trip to La-La land.

I may bring my laptop, but I don't think I'll be able to cover.


We may need Venom7. How the he** does Brick find the time to do a grades thread after every single game? He must never sleep.
 
#12
Friendly note to Geoff Petrie:

Big chunks of WC now showing some weakness at a time Kings are rising fast. Utah is erratic and may be fighting for playoff spot at the end. Even Portland and San Antonio are not world beaters - at least at this stage. At the moment all those teams are above the Kings but not by that much. Kings more or less bunched with a group that includes OKC, New Orleans and LA Cipps. If a trade can be made as Kevin Martin and a bit later Cisco come back it could could be enough to propel Sac into the 8th spot. Surely, there's a deal out there for a big man who can help, that's on a team willing to part with a solid reserve center in their own playoff push. Go for it! Go Kings!!
 

piksi

Hall of Famer
#13
Friendly note to Geoff Petrie:

Big chunks of WC now showing some weakness at a time Kings are rising fast. Utah is erratic and may be fighting for playoff spot at the end. Even Portland and San Antonio are not world beaters - at least at this stage. At the moment all those teams are above the Kings but not by that much. Kings more or less bunched with a group that includes OKC, New Orleans and LA Cipps. If a trade can be made as Kevin Martin and a bit later Cisco come back it could could be enough to propel Sac into the 8th spot. Surely, there's a deal out there for a big man who can help, that's on a team willing to part with a solid reserve center in their own playoff push. Go for it! Go Kings!!

look at the schedule - hard
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#14
Friendly note to Geoff Petrie:

Big chunks of WC now showing some weakness at a time Kings are rising fast. Utah is erratic and may be fighting for playoff spot at the end. Even Portland and San Antonio are not world beaters - at least at this stage. At the moment all those teams are above the Kings but not by that much. Kings more or less bunched with a group that includes OKC, New Orleans and LA Cipps. If a trade can be made as Kevin Martin and a bit later Cisco come back it could could be enough to propel Sac into the 8th spot. Surely, there's a deal out there for a big man who can help, that's on a team willing to part with a solid reserve center in their own playoff push. Go for it! Go Kings!!

#8 seed is currently 16-12, so still takes just south of 50 wins to make it in the West, same as it has been for several years. Better be a move for a player of major significance if we hope to get into that class wiht a team this young.
 
#15
look at the schedule - hard
God, I know. I still like our chances to get game coming up against Cavs and Lakers - at least one. After all, last season our rag tag group beat the Lakers here. Wasn't it their first game in or later on in season - can't remember. I am not being a blind homer, but now everyone is saying this team is coming on - so I want to get on the bandwagon and see how far it can go.
 
#18
I get that the schedule is hard. Because it's hard in bunches. Long toad trips, etc... But everyone plays the same teams for the most part. This is not football. Thi team won't make the playoffs because they're not good enough, at the moment, but I don't believe you can pin point the schedule as a reason or not making the playoffs
 
#25
Omri - please do not diss Tyreke in interviews again. Accept the team's hierarchy. The sooner the better. The team completed an amazing come back. Do not look sulky because you did not take a part in it. Celebrate and be happy for Brockman and Udoke. More blame rests with Noc for the big hole the team dug, and yet he was truly happy for the guys who made it happen.

Just a little advice from a fellow Israeli.
 
#26
Omri - please do not diss Tyreke in interviews again. Accept the team's hierarchy. The sooner the better. The team completed an amazing come back. Do not look sulky because you did not take a part in it. Celebrate and be happy for Brockman and Udoke. More blame rests with Noc for the big hole the team dug, and yet he was truly happy for the guys who made it happen.

Just a little advice from a fellow Israeli.
I give him a pass this time. I attribute it to his fiery passion for the game. There will be no conflict between him and Evans.
 

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#27
Omri - please do not diss Tyreke in interviews again. Accept the team's hierarchy. The sooner the better. The team completed an amazing come back. Do not look sulky because you did not take a part in it. Celebrate and be happy for Brockman and Udoke. More blame rests with Noc for the big hole the team dug, and yet he was truly happy for the guys who made it happen.

Just a little advice from a fellow Israeli.
?

What did I miss?
 
#29
Took a shot at Evans for not passing enough off his penetration.Not really a shot, more of "when he learns to make that pass we will be better". It pissed me off big time.

Obviously sometimes Tyreke is trying to finish at the rim when he needs to pass but that is just the rawness of his talent. He annoys me too with that, but he is a franchise player and at this very early stage of his career he is experimenting out there and got the coach's permission. Omri has a bit of an ego which is fine, and granted he is 21 yr old, but no need calling anyone out in sports illustrated.

If Omri is smart, and hey, I am 35 and following NBA basketball since I was 6-7 , so it is easier for me to make this judgment call than him , he got to accept the reality. Accept the fact this is Tyreke's team. Be a good teammate. You have to swallow your pride, accept that his potential and upside is greater. Single out teammates when you have something positive to say about their performance in interviews. It is not all about you. His pale smile yesterday told me something like "it is no good if the team scores the second greatest come from behind W in NBA history but I am not a part of it".
I do not like this attitude at all and he better change it fast.

There is a good chance before the season is over, if Omri has a few more big games, he will be interviewed on NBA TV or somewhere else with high exposure like that (Heard Rick Kamla mentioning that he is happy he got Casspi on his fantasy team behind Rudy Gay). He should go there, especially if the ROY race become too close to call down the line (you never know BJ can drop 40 on some quality team and it changes the momentum), and tell even if not asked "BTW Tyreke Evans - ROY". Nothing along the lines of "he should pass me more when i stand in the corner" or some backhanded compliments.

Love Omri and watching the Kings games here in Toronto has become an obsession.
 
#30
Oh, I see. I hope this Omri chemistry issue will get sorted out sooner or later. I hate to see friction between him and Reke just because he can't accept that Reke is the man in Sactown.
 
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