DEFENSE AND GRIT

gunks

Hall of Famer
#8
Don't ever let this team make a trip to India again in the preseason, let the Stockton Kings guys go there for some games if Vivek wants :p:p
For real. That's gotta be it, right? Quite a bit of jet lag to adjust to.

Anyways, Luke is the truth. I love how he has the team playing! Defense, in Sac? It's weird, but something I can get used to!
 
#11
For real. That's gotta be it, right? Quite a bit of jet lag to adjust to.

Anyways, Luke is the truth. I love how he has the team playing! Defense, in Sac? It's weird, but something I can get used to!
That's part of it, but mainly we're year 1 in Luke's system with 4 new players to integrate into the core rotation from last year. Losing as much training camp and preseason practice time as we did can only be a major negative and it showed.
 
#14
For real. That's gotta be it, right? Quite a bit of jet lag to adjust to.

Anyways, Luke is the truth. I love how he has the team playing! Defense, in Sac? It's weird, but something I can get used to!
Pacers were playing pretty bad at the start of the season also, now they are Looking real good, so it might sound funny, but I blame it on trip to India haha
It's more than that jet lag. I've heard stories from people who've been. The area they went to is one of the most polluted areas on the planet. It takes a toll on your body that can last for weeks.. It's no coincidence the Pacers and Kings both started out like they did.

They shouldn't pull a stunt like that ever again. Vivek can take his PR and shove it you-know-where.
 
#16
Also gotta give a HUGE shout out to Harry Giles. I thought he was really big for us in his stint in there for us toward the latter half of the game

Walton also had a moment where he immediately stopped our players from whining to the refs, and that is absolutely huge for our identity going forward.

You do not wanna be known as the team that whines, as we already have a tough enough time getting calls to go our way
 
#20
I guess we're to understand the first five games of the season where it looked like nobody knew how to play basketball or much cared to was due to learning the system and/or India hangover? What we're seeing now is like night and day.
Someone prob told the kings the first 5 games of the season were still preseason games. We started playing for reals in November ;). To think if we would stop fouling lakers elbows with our faces, we could be 6-1 in nov, only losing a close game to the defending champs.
 
#27
It's more than that jet lag. I've heard stories from people who've been. The area they went to is one of the most polluted areas on the planet. It takes a toll on your body that can last for weeks.. It's no coincidence the Pacers and Kings both started out like they did.

They shouldn't pull a stunt like that ever again. Vivek can take his PR and shove it you-know-where.
I come from that area, but can relate to what you say. The trip certainly didn't help, and I wonder if even Vivek is second guessing himself right now.
 
#28
Holmes and Joseph have been key to the defense. The head of the snake and the anchor. I love Fox but Joseph is so much more focused and disciplined defensively at this point. Hopefully Fox is seeing the importance of PG defense and that he doesn't have to carry this entire team offensively to win.
 
#29
The Holmes acquisition may be so good that you can overlook the other subpar signings or mis-signings. to a degree He's what you'd hoped Cauley-Stein would be on defense. I"m not sure what Phoenc & Phili was thinking letting him go. What a coup in that regard.
The team actually looks better and more cohesive (especially on defense) without Fox who over-dribbles often. They look more focused. The injury could be a silver-lining type deal. They are heavily relying on Hield and Bogdan now on offense. Hield had a master shooting night to allow for the win against the Celtics.
 
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#30
Holmes and Joseph have been key to the defense. The head of the snake and the anchor. I love Fox but Joseph is so much more focused and disciplined defensively at this point. Hopefully Fox is seeing the importance of PG defense and that he doesn't have to carry this entire team offensively to win.
They are physically different players....Joseph i stronger and beefier for his size and puts it to use on defense. Fox is also foul-prone. Joseph does a decent job avoiding fouls - that's more on his experience.